History of Asbestos in New Mexico
While not heavily industrialized or populated, New Mexico is home to several industries commonly associated with asbestos exposure. These include but are not limited to construction, power generation, oil refining, manufacturing and the United States Armed Forces.
New Mexico has a number of natural asbestos deposits in the state:
- Lordsburg: chrysotile
- Deming: chrysotile
- Rural southern desert: amphibole
- Las Cruces: chrysotile
- Ruidoso: amphibole
- 30 miles NW of Ruidoso: amphibole
For some years, there has been an attempt by asbestos manufacturers to have the three main types of asbestos classified according to how dangerous they were. The manufacturers that produced products using the supposedly "less dangerous" or "less friable" (the term "friable" refers to how easily the asbestos can become dust when disturbed) types of asbestos were, of course, the most boisterous proponents of this type of classification.
However, according to more than 30 environmental, health, and governmental organizations, there is no safe type of asbestos, and no level of asbestos exposure is safe. All of the three types of asbestos can become airborne and lead to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
In New Mexico, as throughout the rest of the United States, asbestos has left a costly and deadly wake.
Companies with Potential Asbestos Exposure
These asbestos companies and worksites do business in industries typically associated with asbestos exposure, are located in buildings known to have contained or currently contain asbestos, or both. This list is meant to be helpful but is not exclusive.
- Albuquerque Air Traffic Control Center
- Albuquerque Federal Building
- Algadones Power Station
- American Gypsum
- Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
- Anapra Power House
- Arizona Public Service Company
- Atchison Railway
- Chaco Canyon Gas Plant
- Chevron Gas Plant
- Chino Power Plant
- Cineza Power Plant
- El Paso Natural Gas
- El Paso Natural Gas Booster Station
- El Paso Natural Gas Oil Center
- Eppsco, Inc.
- Farmington Insulation & Metal Supply
- Four Corners Power Plant
- Gallup City Power Plant
- Giant Refinery
- Haines Sewing Plant
- International Minerals & Chemical Co.
- Kennecott Copper Refinery
- Kerr-McGee Potash Plant
- Kirtland Air Force Base
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Lovelace Clinic
- Malco Refineries
- Municipal Power
- Navajo Refining
- New Mexico Power & Light
- New Mexico State Penitentiary
- New Mexico State University
- Northern Natural Gas Plant
- Person Station
- Phelps Dodge Copper
- Plains Electric
- Plateau Refinery
- Public Service Power
- Reeves Power Plant
- Roswell Industrial Air Center
- San Juan Power Plant
- Sandia Air Force Base
- Santa Fe Railway
- Southern Union Gas Plant
- Southestern Public Service Power Plant
- Sturm Rodgers
- Topeka Railway
- Turbine Generator in Lovington
- United Nuclear Corporation
- University of New Mexico
- Walker Air Force Base
- Warner Petroleum Co.
- White Sands Missle Site
- Zia Company
Asbestos-related Deaths in New Mexico
Due in part to its low population, New Mexico is lower on the mesothelioma-deaths-by- state list than many states. However, between 1999 and 2004, there were 81 deaths due to mesothelioma in the state.
Where to Find Help
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
University of New Mexico Cancer Center
900 Camino de Salud NE
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131 – 0001
Phone: 505-272-4946
Cancer Institute of New Mexico
Multiple locations throughout the state
Phone: 505-955-7900 or 877-587-7900
New Mexico Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos while living or working in New Mexico, or you were exposed elsewhere but live in New Mexico now, and have developed mesothelioma, you may qualify for financial compensation from those that exposed you to asbestos.
To learn your legal options, contact a New Mexico mesothelioma lawyer. Since mesothelioma lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, you don't have to pay anything unless you win your case.