Case guide

UPDATED FEB 2026

Asbestos Products — Common Sources of Exposure

Part of the Asbestos / Mesothelioma investigation

The short answer

Asbestos was incorporated into thousands of commercial products — from pipe insulation and building materials to automotive parts and consumer products. Identifying the specific asbestos products you were exposed to is a critical first step in building a trust fund and litigation strategy.

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Building and Construction Products

The most common asbestos-containing building materials include: pipe insulation (Kaylo by Owens-Illinois, Unibestos by Pittsburgh Corning, Thermolag), boiler insulation (Unibestos, Eagle-Picher products), drywall joint compound (Kaiser Gypsum, Georgia-Pacific joint compound products manufactured through the 1970s), ceiling tiles (Armstrong ceiling tiles), vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring (Armstrong, Congoleum, Kentile), asbestos cement board (Transite pipe and panels by Johns Manville), roofing shingles (Certain-Teed, Flintkote), and spray-applied fireproofing (W.R. Grace Monokote, USG Zonolite). Vermiculite attic insulation (Zonolite brand from W.R. Grace) was contaminated with naturally occurring asbestos from the Libby, Montana mine and used in millions of homes through 1990.

Industrial and Automotive Products

Industrial asbestos products include high-temperature gaskets (Garlock, Flexitallic, Chesterton), pump packing, valve packing (Crane Co., Grinnell), turbine insulation (Westinghouse, General Electric), boiler room insulation systems, and pipe covering for hot-process industries. Automotive products historically containing asbestos include disc brake pads (Bendix/Honeywell, Raybestos, National), drum brake linings, clutch facings, and brake drum and disc hardware. Mechanics who performed brake work without wet grinding or HEPA vacuum containment procedures were exposed to significant asbestos dust concentrations.

Key data

Data & Statistics

2 SOURCED FIGURES

3,000+ commercial products have been identified as containing asbestos

EPA Asbestos Product Database

Vermiculite attic insulation contaminated with asbestos in ~35 million U.S. homes

EPA Libby, Montana Asbestos Investigation

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

12 QUESTIONS

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium — the thin membrane lining the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum), or heart (pericardium). It is distinct from lung cancer, which originates in the lung tissue itself. Mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure and does not arise from smoking. Lung cancer, while also caused by asbestos in some cases, is far more commonly caused by tobacco smoking. Both are compensable through asbestos trust funds and litigation, but mesothelioma claims typically produce higher compensation because the disease is more directly and singularly attributable to asbestos.

Dive deeper

Related Guides

19 GUIDES

The full investigation

Part of the Asbestos / Mesothelioma Investigation