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Overview: Asbestos Exposure in Harris County, Texas
Harris County is the epicenter of asbestos exposure in Texas. Home to the Houston Ship Channel — a 52-mile industrial corridor stretching from downtown Houston to the Gulf of Mexico — Harris County contains one of the highest concentrations of petrochemical refineries, chemical plants, and industrial facilities in the world. For decades, workers at these facilities were exposed to asbestos in insulation, gaskets, pipe coverings, and fireproofing materials.
Whitman Mesothelioma Law Firm represents workers and families throughout Harris County who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Our attorneys have recovered over $2 billion for asbestos victims nationwide.
Key Facts: Harris County Asbestos Exposure
- Communities Served
- 8
- Total Exposure Sites Documented
- 18
- Primary Industries
- Occupational, Mixed
- Years of Exposure Activity
- 1920 - 2004
- State
- Texas
- Consultation Cost
- Free — No Fee Unless We Win
Communities We Serve in Harris County
Select a community below to learn about local asbestos exposure sites, affected industries, and how our attorneys can help victims in that area.
Baytown
2 known exposure sites
ExxonMobil Baytown Refinery & Chemical Plant, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Baytown Plant
Learn more →Channelview
2 known exposure sites
LyondellBasell Channelview Complex, San Jacinto Ordnance Depot / Channelview Industrial District
Learn more →Deer Park
3 known exposure sites
Lubrizol Deer Park Facility, Rohm and Haas Deer Park Plant, …
Learn more →Galena Park
1 known exposure site
Kinder Morgan Galena Park Terminal
Learn more →Jacinto City
2 known exposure sites
Armco Steel Houston Works, Kinder Morgan Galena Park Terminal
Learn more →La Porte
2 known exposure sites
Lubrizol Deer Park Facility, Rohm and Haas Deer Park Plant
Learn more →Pasadena
4 known exposure sites
Crown Central Petroleum Refinery, Ethyl Corporation Pasadena Plant, …
Learn more →South Houston
2 known exposure sites
Crown Central Petroleum Refinery, Houston Lighting & Power — Deepwater & Webster Plants
Learn more →About Harris County & Its Asbestos Exposure History
Asbestos Exposure History in Harris County
The Houston Ship Channel industrial district was built during the early 20th century oil boom and expanded dramatically during World War II. Refineries, chemical plants, and fabrication shops relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials for thermal insulation, fire protection, and equipment manufacturing from the 1940s through the 1980s.
Workers most commonly exposed include pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, electricians, millwrights, chemical operators, and maintenance workers. Secondary exposure also affected family members who came into contact with asbestos fibers carried home on work clothing.
Why Harris County Mesothelioma Cases Require Experienced Attorneys
Harris County asbestos cases often involve multiple facilities and employers over a worker's career. Identifying every source of exposure is critical to maximizing compensation through both litigation and asbestos trust fund claims. Our attorneys have decades of experience tracing exposure histories along the Ship Channel corridor.
All Known Asbestos Exposure Sites in Harris County, Texas
The following 18 facilities across Harris County have been identified as locations where workers and residents may have been exposed to asbestos. If you worked at or lived near any of these sites, you may be eligible for compensation.
Armco Steel Houston Works
Armco Steel's Houston Works was a major steel production facility along the Houston Ship Channel, producing steel plate, pipe, and other products for the oil and gas industry. The steel mill used asbestos extensively in furnace linings, ladle insulation, and equipment insulation. Steelworkers were exposed to asbestos fibers from these materials during production, maintenance, and relining operations.
Crown Central Petroleum Refinery
The Crown Central Petroleum refinery in Pasadena operated for over 80 years along the Houston Ship Channel. Asbestos was used extensively in the refinery's insulation systems, boilers, heat exchangers, and processing equipment. Workers who performed maintenance and turnaround work were heavily exposed to asbestos-containing materials throughout the facility's operational history.
Crown Central Petroleum Refinery
The Crown Central Petroleum refinery in Pasadena operated for over 80 years along the Houston Ship Channel. Asbestos was used extensively in the refinery's insulation systems, boilers, heat exchangers, and processing equipment. Workers who performed maintenance and turnaround work were heavily exposed to asbestos-containing materials throughout the facility's operational history.
Ethyl Corporation Pasadena Plant
The Ethyl Corporation plant in Pasadena manufactured tetraethyl lead and other chemical additives. The facility used asbestos insulation throughout its process equipment, particularly around reactors, distillation columns, and high-temperature piping systems. Workers at the plant were exposed to asbestos during routine maintenance and equipment repair.
ExxonMobil Baytown Refinery & Chemical Plant
The ExxonMobil Baytown complex is one of the largest integrated refining and petrochemical facilities in the United States, encompassing over 3,400 acres. The refinery processes approximately 584,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Asbestos-containing materials were used extensively throughout the facility from its construction through the 1980s, particularly in insulation systems, heat exchangers, and processing equipment. Thousands of workers, including both direct employees and contract maintenance workers, were exposed to asbestos during routine operations, turnaround shutdowns, and construction projects.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Baytown Plant
The Goodyear Baytown synthetic rubber plant was originally built during World War II as part of the government's synthetic rubber program. The facility produced synthetic rubber and chemicals for decades, using asbestos insulation in its boilers, steam systems, and chemical processing equipment. Workers were exposed during both manufacturing operations and maintenance activities.
Houston Lighting & Power — Deepwater & Webster Plants
Houston Lighting & Power operated multiple coal and natural gas-fired power plants throughout the Houston area. The Deepwater and Webster generating stations used extensive asbestos insulation in their boilers, steam turbines, and piping systems. Workers who maintained and operated these power plants were chronically exposed to asbestos fibers.
Houston Lighting & Power — Deepwater & Webster Plants
Houston Lighting & Power operated multiple coal and natural gas-fired power plants throughout the Houston area. The Deepwater and Webster generating stations used extensive asbestos insulation in their boilers, steam turbines, and piping systems. Workers who maintained and operated these power plants were chronically exposed to asbestos fibers.
Kinder Morgan Galena Park Terminal
The Galena Park terminal complex along the Houston Ship Channel has handled petroleum products, chemicals, and bulk materials since the 1940s. The terminal infrastructure — including storage tanks, piping systems, loading equipment, and pump stations — was constructed and maintained using asbestos-containing insulation and gasket materials.
Kinder Morgan Galena Park Terminal
The Galena Park terminal complex along the Houston Ship Channel has handled petroleum products, chemicals, and bulk materials since the 1940s. The terminal infrastructure — including storage tanks, piping systems, loading equipment, and pump stations — was constructed and maintained using asbestos-containing insulation and gasket materials.
Lubrizol Deer Park Facility
Lubrizol's Deer Park facility produces specialty chemical additives for lubricants, fuels, and industrial fluids. Built during the 1960s when asbestos use was standard in industrial construction, the facility's insulation systems and process equipment contained asbestos-based materials that exposed workers during operations and maintenance.
Lubrizol Deer Park Facility
Lubrizol's Deer Park facility produces specialty chemical additives for lubricants, fuels, and industrial fluids. Built during the 1960s when asbestos use was standard in industrial construction, the facility's insulation systems and process equipment contained asbestos-based materials that exposed workers during operations and maintenance.
LyondellBasell Channelview Complex
The LyondellBasell Channelview complex is a major petrochemical manufacturing facility producing propylene oxide, styrene, and related chemicals. Originally built by ARCO Chemical Company in the 1950s, the facility used asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and fireproofing materials throughout its process units. Workers performing maintenance, turnaround work, and equipment repair were regularly exposed to asbestos fibers.
Rohm and Haas Deer Park Plant
The Rohm and Haas Deer Park facility has manufactured specialty chemicals since 1948, situated along the Houston Ship Channel near the Shell Deer Park complex. Asbestos-containing insulation and gasket materials were used throughout the plant during its first four decades of operation, exposing workers during installation, maintenance, and removal activities.
Rohm and Haas Deer Park Plant
The Rohm and Haas Deer Park facility has manufactured specialty chemicals since 1948, situated along the Houston Ship Channel near the Shell Deer Park complex. Asbestos-containing insulation and gasket materials were used throughout the plant during its first four decades of operation, exposing workers during installation, maintenance, and removal activities.
San Jacinto Ordnance Depot / Channelview Industrial District
The San Jacinto Ordnance Depot was a World War II-era military ammunition storage and processing facility that was later converted to industrial use. Asbestos-containing materials were used in buildings, steam distribution systems, and equipment insulation. Workers involved in the military operation, subsequent demolition, and industrial reuse were exposed to asbestos.
Shell Deer Park Manufacturing Complex
The Shell Deer Park Manufacturing Complex is one of the largest integrated petrochemical and refining facilities in the United States, spanning over 1,500 acres along the Houston Ship Channel. From the 1940s through the 1980s, asbestos-containing materials were extensively used throughout the facility for insulation, fire protection, and equipment manufacturing. Workers who performed maintenance, construction, and demolition work were particularly at risk of asbestos exposure.
Shell Pasadena Refinery (formerly Deer Park expansion)
Shell's Pasadena refining operations, adjacent to and sometimes considered part of the larger Deer Park complex, extend along the Ship Channel through the Pasadena industrial district. Workers at these facilities were exposed to the same asbestos-containing materials used throughout the Shell refining and petrochemical operations.
If you or a family member worked at any facility in Harris County and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, contact our attorneys for a free case evaluation.
Your Legal Rights in Harris County, Texas
Understanding the legal landscape is critical when pursuing an asbestos or mesothelioma claim. Below is a summary of relevant legal information for cases involving exposure in Harris County.
Court Jurisdiction for Harris County
Asbestos cases originating in Harris County are typically filed in the Harris County District Courts in Houston, one of the most experienced asbestos litigation venues in the nation. The 11th Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Court handles consolidated asbestos cases.
Federal cases may be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.
Legal Options for Harris County Asbestos Victims
Mesothelioma victims and their families in Harris County may be entitled to pursue compensation through several legal avenues:
- Personal injury lawsuits — filed against the companies responsible for your asbestos exposure
- Asbestos trust fund claims — over $30 billion remains in trust funds established by bankrupt asbestos companies
- Wrongful death claims — filed by surviving family members when a loved one has passed from mesothelioma
- Veterans benefits — additional compensation for veterans exposed to asbestos during military service
- Workers' compensation — benefits for occupational asbestos exposure, which may be pursued alongside other claims
Our attorneys handle cases involving Harris County exposure sites and have the experience to identify all available sources of compensation. Call 1-800-400-1805 to discuss your case.
Next Steps for Harris County Mesothelioma Victims
You have options. Our attorneys are ready to help you understand them.
References & Sources
- EPA Toxic Release Inventory records
- OSHA inspection reports for Shell Deer Park facility
- Asbestos bankruptcy trust fund claims data
- Texas Department of State Health Services occupational exposure records
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