Long Beach & San Pedro Asbestos Exposure

The Port of Long Beach — one of the busiest in North America — and the adjacent naval complex, oil fields, and refinery corridor created one of Southern California’s most concentrated asbestos exposure zones. Navy personnel, longshoremen, oil workers, and ship repair crews all faced significant exposure throughout the mid-20th century.

7+Major exposure sites

~12,000Estimated exposed workers

2 YearsCalifornia statute of limitations

$0Upfront legal costs

Documented Exposure Sites

#	Facility	Industry	Active Period	Risk
1	Long Beach Naval Station & Shipyard	Naval Operations & Repair	1943–1997	Critical
2	Signal Hill Oil Fields	Petroleum Extraction	1921–1990s	High
3	Wilmington Refinery Row (ARCO / BP)	Petroleum Refining	1920–present	Critical
4	Pacific Drydock	Ship Repair	1945–1980	Critical
5	Southwest Marine	Ship Repair	1960–present	High
6	General Chemical Long Beach	Industrial Chemicals	1945–1990	Moderate
7	Terminal Island Federal Correctional Institution (Construction)	Government Construction	1938–1955	Moderate

Did Long Beach Navy workers get asbestos exposure?▼

Yes. Long Beach Naval Station and Long Beach Naval Shipyard (closed 1997) were major asbestos exposure sites. Navy personnel who served aboard ships homeported at Long Beach, civilian shipyard workers who repaired vessels, and contractors who performed maintenance on naval facilities all faced significant asbestos exposure. Veterans can file VA disability claims at any time, and civil claims against manufacturers must be filed within 2 years of a mesothelioma diagnosis.