American Cyanamid Company

American Cyanamid Company (ACC) was one of the biggest manufacturers of both chemical and agricultural products. Over time, the company gained a reputation for its hazardous practices involving chemicals, which included working with asbestos. As the industry changed and its product line widened, ACC also increased how many toxins the company used. Due to ACC’s use of asbestos, the company ended up exposing countless people to serious illnesses including mesothelioma which led to thousands of lawsuits.

Established in 1907, ACC’s primary focus was cyanamid, which is a critical element in fertilizer. Within several years, the company widened its range of products and became involved in producing products for several other industries including chemical and pharmaceutical.

By the end of the 1920s, the company had purchased 30 subsidiaries, the company faced countless financial challenges as demand for some products it produced lessened and the world went through both the Great Depression and two wars. These challenges caused the company to become involved in various efforts, which included becoming involved in the chemical industry. ACC relied on its usage of asbestos in various products due to the material’s heat-resistant nature and durability.

By the 1970s, workers claimed that they experienced health issues due to exposure to products manufactured by ACC. In 1973, the Georgia State Water Quality Control Board pressured ACC to discontinue its practice of dumping toxic water into both the Savannah and Wilmington rivers. In 1978, more than 1,300 workers at American Cyanamid’s New Jersey factory went on a labor strike hoping to shed light on dangerous work environments. ACC’s work environment resulted in thousands of lawsuits.

In the 1980s, the company’s environmental harm became even better known. In the 1980s, the company’s facility in Bridgewater, New Jersey was even labeled as a Superfund site by the Environmental Protective Agency due to environmental contamination at the location. Also in the 1980s, the company stopped its usage of asbestos.

ACC relied on asbestos because the material was cheap and durable. Consequently, both workers at ACC in addition to workers in countless other industries and the public were exposed to the danger of asbestos. Some of the products made by ACC include:

• Cymel 592, is a molding compound created for usage in aircraft and motor vehicle parts, circuit breakers, and switch gears among other uses.
• Melmac 405 Laminating Resin, which is made from asbestos as well as glass cloth or canvas based on its intended usage.

Some of the particular types of workers at ACC who were exposed to asbestos include chemical plant workers, engineers, mechanics, and insulators.

After workers started speaking about the dangers posed by working for ACC, the company started facing thousands of lawsuits involving asbestos exposure.

One of these lawsuits was initiated by a man and his wife. The man was diagnosed with asbestos following exposure that occurred at his home. The man’s father worked at ACC’s New Jersey plant in various capacities including as a machinist and millwright and carried home asbestos fibers on his clothing. The man ultimately passed away from mesothelioma during litigation against ACC, but the man’s widow was awarded $3.5 million.

If you or a loved one is exposed to asbestos-containing products, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced lawyer. Contact the Throneberry Law Group today for assistance.