General Motors

History of General Motors’ Asbestos Use

General Motors used asbestos in many products, including brakes, clutches and insulating panels, where its resistance to heat and insulating properties were desirable. The company also used it to help control friction. 

During the 1920 and 1930s, GM diversified into the appliance market. Frigidaire appliances and Delco-Heat boilers manufactured under the GM umbrella contained asbestos materials. As a result, thousands of people were exposed to asbestos fibers. Many of them later developed asbestos-related diseases. 

GM phased out asbestos from its products beginning in the 1970s. However, the extended latency period of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma means people can continue to receive diagnoses up to 70 years after exposure. These people may be eligible to file a claim with the Motors Liquidation Company Asbestos PI Trust GM established.

General Motors Asbestos Products and Workers at Risk

GM factories used many asbestos-containing materials, including adhesives, appliances and automotive parts. Asbestos exposure occurred when workers directly handled these products and through airborne asbestos dust. 

Workers on assembly lines who handled products with the mineral faced occupational exposure to asbestos from GM products. This includes appliance technicians, auto mechanics, boiler workers, machinists, parts salespeople, railway brakemen and warehouse employees. 

Dust and fibers on their clothing also contributed to the secondary exposure of family members. Exposure among facilities personnel occurred when performing routine maintenance and repairs on factory buildings, plumbing, electrical components and HVAC equipment.

Additionally, some consumers were exposed to asbestos in home appliances or when performing do-it-yourself auto repairs. Restoration specialists who work on classic cars may still face exposure to asbestos from older parts. 

Health Risks for GM Workers and Consumers

GM workers exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of asbestos-related diseases, including malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and other forms of cancer. A report in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene showed 4.9% of auto mechanics developed pleural plaques. The long latency period for these diseases means that many people will receive a diagnosis decades after occupational exposure. 

Brakes posed serious health risks to GM workers and auto mechanics handling GM products. Disc and drum brakes could contain up to 65% asbestos fibers. Blowing dust off the brakes before servicing them and modifications to them releases dust with short and long asbestos fibers into the air. According to one study, these activities can lead to asbestos concentrations in the air that far exceed the established occupational limits. 

Exposure rates and duration can affect the likelihood of developing one of these diseases. However, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration clearly states that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.

Don Berlin

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Retired GM Worker and Colleague Both Diagnosed With Mesothelioma

Don Berlin worked as a maintenance painter at a General Motors plant in Ohio. In retirement he and his wife moved to Florida. A battery of tests resulted in a malignant pleural mesothelioma diagnosis. A co-worker and friend who retired to South Carolina was also diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma less than a year after Berlin’s diagnosis.

Don Berlin

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Read Survivor Story

General Motors Asbestos Lawsuits

Many former workers filed mesothelioma claims against General Motors seeking compensation for injuries. Many of these cases involve GM brake and clutch components. Some claimants have obtained substantial settlements and verdicts from multiple asbestos companies. 

These cases highlight the risk of asbestos exposure, both directly and indirectly. For example, during Grenier’s trial, expert witness Dr. Richard A. Lemen testified that exposure to friction products containing asbestos can cause mesothelioma.

Development of the General Motors Asbestos Trust

The weight of litigation against GM caused it to declare bankruptcy in 2009. The company formed the General Motors asbestos trust in that process. 

Known as the Motors Liquidation Company Asbestos PI Trust, it began processing claims for asbestos-related diseases in 2012. The company funded it with $625 million to cover its existing and anticipated asbestos liabilities. 

Individuals who develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases from exposure to GM products can file a claim with the GM asbestos trust. The trust paid nearly $11 million in claims in 2021 and nearly $18 million in 2020. 

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