Farmers and Asbestos

How Agricultural Workers Are Exposed to Asbestos

While the work that farmers do today is different from the work performed during the height of asbestos use in the mid-20th century, asbestos exposure remains a risk to farm workers.

Much of the equipment and machinery used on farms is known to contain asbestos products. Older farm buildings — including farmhouses, barns, silos, pens and sheds — are highly likely to contain asbestos construction materials. Asbestos cement pipes were commonly used as field drains on farmlands. Repair and maintenance of equipment, machinery and farm structures could expose farmers to asbestos.

Farmers may also be exposed to asbestos in contaminated vermiculite products or contaminated soil in areas of naturally occurring asbestos. Animal husbandry, digging up asbestos-laden soil, crop planting and maintenance with asbestos-contaminated vermiculite are other sources of exposure.

Newer sources of asbestos exposure on farms may come from machinery parts, including aftermarket brakes, brake linings, other vehicle friction materials and gaskets.

Download Our Asbestos Exposure Tips for Farmers

Help raise awareness by printing and sharing this handout, which covers helpful tips for preventing asbestos exposure in the agricultural industry. With more awareness, we can prevent harmful exposures and make worksites safer for everyone.

Asbestos Products Associated with Farming Occupations

Farmers have been exposed to different types of asbestos products in farming supplies, machinery, equipment, buildings and soil. Farming remains among the jobs that encounter asbestos frequently.

Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a natural mineral that is like asbestos in that it is heat-resistant and a good insulator. Unlike asbestos, in its pure form it is not dangerous to human health. These minerals can form next to each other, which has led to asbestos contaminating many sources of vermiculite. Vermiculite has been used in a variety of products such as brake linings, fireproofing materials and potting soils.

An asbestos-contaminated vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, is reported to have produced 80% of the world’s supply of vermiculite when it operated from the 1920s through 1990. A 1963 study of the Libby vermiculite found it contained 6.2% to 22.5% tremolite asbestos. It also contains other fibrous asbestiform minerals, including winchite and richterite. This contaminated vermiculite was used by farmers throughout the U.S. for agricultural and horticultural purposes.

In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted a study of vermiculite-containing gardening products in the U.S. Of the 38 vermiculite products tested, 17 of them contained asbestos. Of the 17 that tested positive for asbestos, 15 of them were soil mix products. The other two were vermiculite packing materials. Zonolite Chemical Packaging Vermiculite was labeled for use as a packaging material, but it was offered for sale in two different retail stores for home gardening use. The source of a laboratory packing material was unknown to the agency, but it tested positive for tremolite and actinolite asbestos. The agency recommends using vermiculite outdoors, keeping it damp to reduce dust and avoid bringing dusty clothing into the home.

The Zonolite brand also made a soil conditioner decades ago known as Terra Lite that contained asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby.

Some of the farming purposes for vermiculite include:

Asbestos in Soil

Farmers may also be exposed to asbestos in the soil of their fields. Asbestos in soil may occur naturally, or it may have been added to the soil as a vermiculite-based fertilizer or conditioning agent. Farms located near naturally occurring asbestos deposits may have the toxic mineral in their soil.

The overall risk of asbestos exposure to most farmers is relatively low. However, farmers who unknowingly work on lands contaminated with asbestos fibers may face a moderate to high risk of exposure.

Examples of asbestos-contaminated soil on farmland include:

Asbestos in Farming Equipment and Machinery

Asbestos friction materials, gaskets, insulation and heat panels were used in farming equipment because asbestos made these products heat resistant.

Farmers who replace brake linings on tractors are especially at risk of potentially harmful asbestos exposure. Dust-free, wet methods of brake replacement are recommended to limit exposure. Make sure to purchase asbestos-free brake lining replacements, which tend to cost more than traditional brake linings.

Asbestos products found on farming equipment or machinery include:

Asbestos in Farm Buildings

Most farms in the U.S. are likely to contain asbestos building materials. People seeking reclaimed barnwood from barns and farmhouses should be aware of the potential for asbestos contamination. The wood may contain traces of asbestos insulation, and it could bear asbestos-containing paint or varnish. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires farmers to notify local agencies if they plan to renovate or demolish buildings on a farm that contain a certain threshold of asbestos. The agency also requires specific safe practices for asbestos removal and disposal.

Farmers are also required to inform farm workers of areas that contain asbestos so workers can take precautions to avoid exposure.

Manufacturers Who Made Products Farmers Use

Dozens of asbestos manufacturers have made products that farmers encountered in horticultural supplies, building materials and equipment.

Some of the most notable manufacturers include:

Mesothelioma and Agricultural Workers

Research has documented the risk of asbestos exposure among farmers and cases of asbestos-related diseases. According to a 2022 report by the European Commission, over 70,000 workers died in 2019 from past exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is primarily caused by asbestos exposure. Exposure to asbestos also causes other types of cancer, including lung, ovarian and laryngeal cancer. Asbestos exposure also causes a progressive and incurable pulmonary disease known as asbestosis.

If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, it is in your best interest to find a doctor specializing in your specific diagnosis. Treatments are available to help people live longer with these conditions, and specialists know how to use them appropriately for your condition.

Compensation for Farmers Exposed to Asbestos

Farmers have successfully sued manufacturers of asbestos products that caused them to develop related diseases. They’ve also filed workers’ compensation claims for mesothelioma.

If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you should find a qualified mesothelioma lawyer to handle your case. They have the training, resources and expertise to secure the most compensation for your claim. You may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit, asbestos trust fund claims or workers’ compensation claim.

If you’ve lost a loved one to mesothelioma, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and funeral expenses.

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