Asbestos Exposure in Michigan

Asbestos Exposure in Michigan

Located in the Upper Midwestern US in the Great Lakes Region, Michigan quickly became known as an industrial and trade hub during the rise of manufacturing in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Home to automobile plants, power/chemical plants, shipyards, steel mills, and paper mills, different areas of Michigan specialized in industries that propelled the United States forward into modernization.

Asbestos use increased exponentially by the mid-20the century and the Michigan industry took no exception. From General Motors to Morton Salt to Great Lakes Steel, the Michigan job sites listed below are just a sample of the magnitude of asbestos exposure that led Michigan into having the fourth highest mesothelioma rate in the United States as of 2022.

Prominent Job Sites in Michigan with Known Asbestos Exposure

Domtar Paper Company – Also known as the Port Huron Paper company, Domtar Paper operated for decades manufacturing numerous paper products such as tissue, wrapping paper and lightweight carbon paper.

Dunn Sulphite Paper Company – In operation for nearly a century, Dunn Sulphite Paper Company most recently manufactured specialty paper that was used for beverage labels, fast food applications, and paper bags.

Escanaba Pulp and Paper Mill – Beginning with pulp production, Escanaba Pulp and Paper Mill transitioned over the years to newsprint production, coated paper, and more. Still in operation today, the mill produces paper used for commercial and media printing.

Fletcher Paper Mill – At its highest point of operation, Fletcher Paper produced approximately 30,000 tons of light weight printing paper per year. The paper would be used in things such as bibles, offset, carbon papers, and more. The mill closed in 2003.

Ford Rouge Steel Division – The sprawling automobile complex produced all major vehicle components on site, transforming raw materials into completely finished products. The first of the Rouge’s giant furnaces were the largest of its kind in the world at that time.

Ford Rouge Steel, Dearborn – The Rouge’s Steel Division and foundries produced nearly all the parts of the early Ford vehicles. At its peak over 100,000 workers were employed at Ford Rouge.

General Motors Foundry, Gray Iron Foundry – Originally opened as Central Foundry in 1919, Gray Iron Foundry at its peak employed about 6,000 workers, producing more than 100 different automobile parts.

Great Lakes Steel, National Steel Division – A leading supplier of flat-rolled steel for automobiles and trucks, Great Lakes Steel was a division of National Steel which at the time was the nation’s third largest steel producer (headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA.)

Great Lakes Steel, Zug Island –  Zug Island was home to the mill’s ironmaking facilities and raw materials storage areas. Today, the mills are owned by US Steel and remains of the few locations that produce coke for the steel making process.

Hardy Salt – Also known as Manistee Salt Works, Hardy Salt became a major innovator in the salt industry by introducing flaked salt to the food industry and repackaging table salt in paper bags instead of cotton.

Manistique Paper Mill – The mill’s modern era began in 1952 when it was sold to Kearney Interests and renamed Manistique Papers, Inc. It began a decades-long move toward sustainability and by the mid-1980s focused exclusively on 100 percent recycled paper production.

McLouth Steel, Gibraltar Plant – One of three locations (Detroit, Trenton), the Gibraltar Plant serves as the finishing facility for steel coils, focusing on refining the surface, reducing thickness, and tempering the metal for customer use. Final products include thin gauge sheets, slit coils, and flat sheets.

McLouth Steel, Detroit Plant – One of three locations (Gibraltar, Trenton) the Detroit Plant began as small conversion mill, eventually producing only stainless steel by the by the time it was bought by J&L in 1981.

McLouth Steel, Trenton Plant – One of three locations (Detroit, Gibraltar) the Trenton plant was a pioneer in steel technology. It was the first plant in North America to make steel via the Basic Oxygen Process.

Morton Salt – The salt industry thrives in Manistee, Michigan. Mortan Salt still operates today and the salt produced is used in various products ranging from culinary salts to water softening salts.

Munising Paper Mill – Though the mill has changed hands many times over the years (Kimberly-Clark, Neenah, Mativ), the mill continues to operate today. The mill now purchases pulp which is broken down in a hydro-pulper which is then sent to the headbox to make paper.

Packaging Corporation of America – Formed in 1959 after consolidating Central Fiber Products Company, the American Box Board Company, and the Ohio Box Board Company, the plant had numerous buildings and departments including boiler and powerhouse, three pulp mills, three paper machines, reactor building, material handling, wood processing, waste water, and shipping.

SD Warren Paper Mill – In 1899 the plant opened under the name Central Paper Company. It became known as SD Warren before it was purchased by Scott Paper. Purchased again by SAPPI Ltd in 1994, the plant closed entirely in 2009. The mill provided many jobs but also contributed to air  and water quality issues that affected residents.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation – Also known as Ontonagon Paper Mill, the company expanded with pulp mills, power plants and paper mills before starting production in the 1950s.

This list is not exhaustive. To visit more job sites in Michigan, click here