Asbestos in Iowa City

Owners of Mobile Home Site in Iowa Cited for State and Federal Asbestos Removal Violations

An investigation into the demolition of mobile homes at an Iowa City site determined that asbestos-containing debris was improperly removed.  Those working at the demolition site face decades of concern that their work at this job may have placed them at risk to develop mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, please complete the form on this page to obtain vital information from our asbestos lawyers.

On October 8, 2010, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the agency had assessed asbestos violation fines against the owners of mobile home parks in Iowa City and Huxley, Iowa.

The DNR investigation focused on demolition of mobile homes at the two sites, where the homes were being demolished without proper notification and testing for the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACM). 

Asbestos Used in Mobile Home Construction
While ACM products were routinely used in the construction and insulation of commercial and residential properties as well as in the insulation of brake and clutch components in cars, trucks and rail cars, asbestos was also often used in the construction of mobile homes.

In particular, a form of asbestos known commercially as Galbestos was routinely used in the construction of mobile homes.  This asbestos and metal product was used in the construction of mobile home roofs and metal exterior siding materials.  In addition to its use in mobile home residential properties, Galbestos was also used in the construction of commercial and passenger rail cars and airplanes.

Asbestos Exposure Risks
When asbestos dusts are inhaled, they cannot be easily expelled like other airborne irritants by coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose.  On a microscopic level, the invisible asbestos fibers attach to the lungs, where they remain.

Over a period of 40 or more years (known as asbestos latency periods), the asbestos trapped in the lungs will cause healthy lung tissue to scar—resulting in serious chronic lung diseases.  In more tragic cases, the scarring may lead to the development of asbestos-related cancers.

Because of this long latency period, those that lived or worked in the area where the mobile home demolition project took place now face a lifetime of worry that their brief exposure to the dangerous carcinogen (cancer-causing material) may one day cause them to develop asbestosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), pleural plaques disease, asbestos lung cancer or mesothelioma cancer.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file an asbestos lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook.  A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.