Mesothelioma in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Victims may also be eligible for compensation through other claims. Asbestos trust fund claims, for example, may be another option for victims to receive compensation. Experienced asbestos lawyers can help victims understand eligibility for all claim types.

Examples of clients served in the Milwaukee area include:

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04. Asbestos Use in Milwaukee

Asbestos Use in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Asbestos was widely used throughout the United States before the 1980s because of its strength and resistance to heat. The mineral was used in thousands of products across many industries. Workers in Milwaukee were particularly at risk, as the city was a thriving industrial hub beginning in the 1900s.

Once known as the Machine Shop of the World, Milwaukee was built on traditional manufacturing industries. Many workers helped to build rail cars, locomotives, farm machinery, motors and cranes. Some companies operating during this thriving period included Pfister & Vogel Tannery, Plankinton Packing, Milwaukee Road Shops and Allis-Chalmers. These companies were known to have used asbestos, causing exposure among employees.

Asbestos exposure in Milwaukee was widespread in industrial settings, but many homes, schools and businesses were also built with asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos remains in many buildings and poses potential health hazards.

For example, the former VE Carter School of Excellence on Milwaukee’s north side was designated as a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency documented airborne asbestos in some rooms that exceeded four times the permissible limit. Any amount of asbestos exposure is dangerous.

Another site in the city that caused exposure was Solvay Coke and Gas.

Asbestos Found at Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Solvay Coke and Gas Site

Solvay Coke and Gas was the source of many industrial activities in Milwaukee that relied on asbestos. The site began operations in the 1800s and continued for nearly a century. Located on the waterfront on the city’s south side, the site encompassed a 46-acre parcel of land.

Throughout its history, many activities took place at the site, including:

• Blast furnace operations
• Byproduct recovery
• Coal storage
• Coke and manufactured gas production
• Hide tanning
• Iron production
• Rail car ferrying

Many of these operations used asbestos products and other hazardous materials on-site.

After the plant closed in 1983, various other operations took place at the site. In 2017, the area was secured by its current owner, We Energies. Under supervision from the EPA, the heavily contaminated site has undergone intensive cleanup efforts in recent years.

In 2003 and 2008, site owners removed asbestos and other hazardous materials from the area. Asbestos was found on the interior and exterior of numerous structures, including the byproducts facility, purification building and powerhouse basement.

Four cubic yards of friable asbestos were removed in 2008. These materials included cement products, asphalt roofing materials, concrete board and bricks with asbestos resin. Asbestos was also found in the soil.

Following another asbestos survey in 2017, workers removed 7,892 additional tons of debris co-mingled with non-friable asbestos. Workers also removed 2,810 tons of materials containing friable asbestos from the site.

The continued cleanup highlights the heavy use of asbestos at the site over the years, which may have exposed hundreds of workers.