Long Island
Long Island was initially settled by the Dutch as a relatively rural environment where farming could be done for the nearby burgeoning metropolis of New York City. Though, as it turned out New York City's urban sprawl was so intensive that Long Island became merely another suburb of an already gigantic city. However, infrastructure on Long Island was still able to service the city because there was much more readily available than it was in New York. One of the things that Long Island provides New York with today is power. Power plants on Long Island are able to transport generated energy from the plants on Long Island into the city's grid. Unfortunately, power plants are one of the primary sites of asbestos exposure, especially before its dangers were widely known. Any type of power plant, including the Shoreham Nuclear Power plant, could have potentially used asbestos, leaving their employees at risk of exposure. Other types of Long Island industry, including aircraft construction and mass transportation, have also been prone to the use of asbestos.
Power Plants
As New York City was rapidly becoming the dominant metropolitan and cosmopolitan center of the United States, Long Island gradually became a destination for the city's residents. Its picturesque beaches and state parks were a favorite day trip for those tired of the growing concrete and steel jungle. Gradually, Long Island became not only a retreat for New Yorkers, but a commuter extension of the city itself. Residential conquest truly took root following suburban expansion of the post-war period. These homes required power and several power plants began to sprout up across the island to service not only the island, but also to export power to the city's grid as well. One of the more popular and emerging technologies of the time was the use of nuclear power plants to provide low cost energy production.
Nuclear energy, as is commonly known, can have many consequences. However, when operated cleanly and well maintained, nuclear power plants are an important low cost, low impact aspect of older and modern power grids. The consequences of nuclear power plants however, are not limited to reactor meltdown or release of nuclear energy, which are by far the most serious. One of the lesser known dangers of power plants in general is the extensive use of asbestos throughout these installations. Power plants, such as the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant on Long Island, have used asbestos to insulate any number of fixtures in their construction. Asbestos was a key aspect as a fire-retardant and insulator in reactor boilers and other fixtures that required temperature stability. Asbestos may have even been used in heat-protective suits used within power plant facilities. Some workers engaged with these items daily, while some simply worked in the presence of them long enough to be exposed to harmful levels of asbestos. Asbestos could be found almost anywhere in a power plant because its uses were believed to be so versatile. Those who have repaired or worked with older fixtures could also have been exposed. Asbestos fibers, such as those that were used in power plants, when disturbed, can be inhaled and lead to a myriad of different respiratory ailments, including the cancer mesothelioma. It is important for those who may have worked in power plants or repaired such facilities to be aware of the danger asbestos exposure poses.
Mass Transportation
The primary mass transportation that Long Islanders utilize each day is the commuter rail known as the Long Island Railroad. The Long Island Railroad runs the entire length of the island from New York City to the easternmost station at the tip of Long Island. The Long Island Railroad features more than 700 miles of track and 124 stations, servicing nearly 300,000 riders each day. It is the oldest commuter railroad continually operating under its original name. The Long Island railroad is an important part of the city's mass transportation infrastructure and an important employer in the regional economy.
Like all mass rail transportation systems, the Long Island Railroad and its operator, Metro North, have used asbestos extensively in the construction of their rail systems. Asbestos was commonly used to coat steam and other exhaust systems common to under and above-ground rail fixtures. Asbestos was also used when coating electrical fixtures or other fixtures that require temperature stability because of its insulating and fire retardant qualities. Several workers have already knowingly been exposed to asbestos in the Metro North rail terminals and have developed respiratory ailments because of these exposures. It is important to seek medical support if you think you may have been exposed to asbestos while servicing the Long Island Railroad or other commuter rails.
Aircraft Construction
Long Island holds several important distinctions in aviation history. Perhaps Long Island's most important distinction in this field has been the Roosevelt Airfield in Garden City, the departure point for Charles Lindberg's first transcontinental flight to Paris, France. However, perhaps of more important distinction is the region's importance in aviation construction, which has long been a part of the Long Island economy. From WWII through the 1970's and 80's, Long Island's aviation industry produced some of the most advanced fighter craft for the United States Air Force, including the revolutionary P-47 and F-14 warplanes. The island was also the sight of infamous air revolutionary, Howard Hughes' development hangers and terminals.
The nature of aircraft construction is such that the materials themselves need to be very resistant to weather extremes. Insulation materials need to be able to maintain temperature norms in many of an aircraft's fixtures including electrical and cabin linings. One of the materials used for insulation in these aircraft was asbestos. Asbestos is extremely resistant to heat transfer and was added to many materials for its insulating qualities. It is possible that those employed at industries such as Gruhmann Aviation and Republic Aviation may have been exposed to asbestos while constructing aircraft for government and commercial aviation companies. Asbestos can be extremely harmful if inhaled and those who may have been exposed should seek medical assistance in determining their diagnosis.
