Asbestos in Jeanette, PA

Former Glass Factory Found to Contain High Levels of Asbestos and Other Environmental Toxins

The owners of a former glass factory site in the southwestern Pennsylvania community of Jeannette could be facing PA environmental regulation violation fines after an investigation found that levels of asbestos, lead and other toxins were present at the site. Exposure to asbestos can lead to many serious illnesses, including mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis many decades after exposure to the cancer-causing mineral.

If your family is facing a loved one’s diagnosis with an asbestos-related disease, you can obtain important information from our asbestos attorneys about your legal rights and options by completing the form on this page.

In October 2010, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that after an investigation into soil, water and air pollution in the site of the former Jeanette Glass factory, the site was determined to be contaminated by unsafe levels of hazardous substances, including asbestos, lead and arsenic.

The DEP issued a search warrant to test the 32-acre site, where evidence of contamination included the presence of a material known as Galbestos (an asbestos-protected metal), asbestos-containing cement and transite (an asbestos-containing building material).

In addition, the DEP investigators also found evidence of glass waste, tires and an “undetermined number” of steel drums that had not yet been tested for environmental contaminates.

The ongoing investigation will include groundwater testing to determine if those living in the area—including those in a townhouse community constructed near the factory site—are at risk for health problems caused by the asbestos, arsenic and lead.

Exposure to Asbestos Can Cause Life-Long Health Risks
Tragically, the men and women who worked at the glass factory, like all those who faced direct or secondary exposure to asbestos, are at risk to develop a number of serious lung diseases caused by breathing in asbestos dusts many decades after they were first exposed.

This long period of time between exposure and when symptoms of an asbestos-related disease are known as latency periods. Asbestos latency periods, which can be 40-50 or more years long, are caused by the way asbestos damages the lungs.

When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, they are not easily expelled like other airborne irritants or toxins merely by coughing or sneezing. These microscopic asbestos fibers have sharp, jagged edges which cause them to attach to lung tissues.

Over the long latency period, the asbestos causes healthy lung tissue to scar. Asbestos exposure patients with significant scarring are at a high risk rate to develop emphysema, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and asbestosis. Sadly, in more serious cases the scarring can eventually cause abnormal cells to develop, which results in the development of lung cancer or mesothelioma cancer tumors.

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 a 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.