Contributing Factors
Connecticut's industrial growth during the twentieth century relied heavily on asbestos. Mining activities, particularly in Litchfield County, increased exposure risks, while power plants such as the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant and the Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Plant used asbestos extensively.
Manufacturing companies, including the Ansonia Brass and Copper Company, also incorporated asbestos materials into their operations. Military bases throughout the state further contributed to widespread exposure.
Repeated inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to lung cancer, and individuals who smoke face an even greater risk when asbestos exposure is combined with tobacco use.
High-Risk Occupations for Asbestos Exposure in Connecticut
Although Connecticut is one of the smallest U.S. states, its working conditions throughout the twentieth century placed many workers at risk. Prolonged exposure to asbestos dust and fibers has been linked to severe illnesses, including pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Shipyard Workers
Shipyard employees at facilities such as Electric Boat and Thames Shipyard were frequently exposed to asbestos due to its widespread use in shipbuilding. As the Electric Boat Corporation expanded its workforce, the risk of exposure grew accordingly.
Other shipyards associated with asbestos exposure include Mystic Shipyard, Derecktor Shipyards, Groton Ironworks, United Illuminating Company, and Thames Shipyards.
Power Plant Workers
Asbestos was widely used as insulation in power plants because of its resistance to heat and electricity. Workers at the Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Plant and Millstone Nuclear Power Plant experienced decades of exposure to toxic fibers.
Navy Veterans
Connecticut is home to several naval installations, including the Naval Submarine Base New London. Once considered the top submarine base on the East Coast, it employed thousands of service members who were exposed to asbestos used in vessels, shipyards, and base facilities.
Automotive Mechanics
Raymark Industries in Stratford manufactured asbestos-containing automotive products such as brakes and clutch pads. Improper disposal of asbestos waste exposed workers and the surrounding environment to long-term contamination, later confirmed by EPA testing.
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Cities in Connecticut with Asbestos
There are 198 cities in Connecticut that are covered by Asbestos Trust Funds
Landmark Asbestos Verdicts in Connecticut
John Peckham vs. Vanderbilt Minerals LLC & DAP Inc.
John Peckham worked at a Connecticut mill in the 1970s, where he removed dried window putty containing asbestos. The defendants failed to warn workers about the dangers of chrysotile asbestos in the glazing material.
After being diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2020, Mr. Peckham passed away eleven months later. In March 2023, a Connecticut jury awarded $20 million in compensation to his widow.
Evan Plotkin et al. v. Johnson & Johnson et al.
Evan Plotkin and his wife were awarded $15 million after a jury found that Johnson & Johnson knowingly concealed asbestos contamination in its talc products. Mr. Plotkin was exposed through decades of regular talc use beginning in the 1950s.
In addition to compensatory damages, punitive damages were awarded. Mr. Plotkin was a well-known artist and community figure, honored as Citizen of the Year in 2022 by the Springfield Regional Chamber.
