Where were the most asbestos exposures in South Carolina?

The Charleston Naval Shipyard in North Charleston, which operated from 1901 to 1996, is the dominant asbestos exposure site in South Carolina, employing over 26,000 workers at its WWII peak. The Upstate textile mill corridor around Spartanburg and Greenville, along with statewide Duke Energy and SCE&G power plants, are also major documented exposure sites.

South Carolina Asbestos Exposure & Mesothelioma

Q: What is South Carolina's statute of limitations for mesothelioma?

South Carolina has a 3-year statute of limitations for asbestos personal injury claims under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, measured from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims must be filed within 3 years of the date of death.

The Charleston Naval Shipyard operated for nearly a century, building and repairing Navy destroyers and submarines using asbestos insulation throughout the hull and engine rooms. South Carolina’s Upstate textile mill corridor and statewide power generation facilities add thousands more documented exposure sites across the state.

200+Documented SC exposure sites

3 YearsStatute of limitations from diagnosis

2Major exposure regions

$0Upfront legal costs

South Carolina Cities

Critical

Charleston

Charleston Naval Shipyard (North Charleston) — 26,000 WWII peak workers, operated 1901–1996

View sites › High

Spartanburg

Spartan Mills, Mayfair Mills — Upstate textile mill corridor with heavy boiler insulation use

View sites ›

South Carolina Asbestos Exposure Regions

Region	Key Sites	Industries	Notes
Charleston / North Charleston	Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston Naval Base, Stone Container Corp.	Naval Shipbuilding, Paper	26,000-worker WWII peak; one of the Navy’s primary East Coast repair yards until 1996 closure
Spartanburg / Greenville (Upstate)	Spartan Mills, Mayfair Mills, Greenville textile mills	Textile Manufacturing	Mill power plants and boiler rooms used heavy asbestos pipe insulation for decades
Columbia / Midlands	SCE&G power plants, Westinghouse Columbia, Fort Jackson	Power Generation, Manufacturing, Military	State capital industrial and military installations

South Carolina Asbestos Industry Overview

Industry	Active Period	Primary Locations	Risk Level
Naval Shipbuilding / Repair	1901–1996	Charleston	Critical
Textile Manufacturing	1880–1990	Spartanburg, Greenville	High
Power Generation	1930–1985	Statewide (Duke Energy, SCE&G)	Moderate
Paper / Pulp Mills	1940–present	Charleston, Georgetown	Moderate
Construction	1945–1980	Statewide	Moderate

South Carolina Legal Information

Claim Type	Deadline	Governing Law
Personal Injury	3 years from diagnosis	S.C. Code § 15-3-530 — discovery rule applies
Wrongful Death	3 years from date of death	S.C. Code § 15-51-40
Trust Fund Claims	Varies by trust	Can be filed simultaneously with lawsuit
VA Benefits	No deadline	Federal; can pursue while lawsuit is pending

South Carolina asbestos cases are filed in the Circuit Court of the county where exposure occurred. Charleston County handles the largest share of South Carolina asbestos litigation given the scale and duration of operations at the Charleston Naval Shipyard.

South Carolina Mesothelioma FAQs

What is South Carolina’s statute of limitations for mesothelioma?

South Carolina Code § 15-3-530 provides 3 years from the date of diagnosis for asbestos personal injury claims under the discovery rule. The clock starts when you receive a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis — not when you worked at the shipyard or mill decades earlier. Wrongful death claims have a 3-year window under § 15-51-40.

Were Charleston Naval Shipyard workers exposed to asbestos?

Yes — extensively. The Charleston Naval Shipyard built and repaired Navy destroyers, submarines, and other vessels from 1901 until its 1996 closure. Asbestos was used throughout ship hulls for pipe insulation, boiler lagging, and fireproofing. Pipefitters, boilermakers, and insulators who worked at the shipyard — particularly during the WWII buildup when employment reached 26,000 — faced significant daily exposure.

Can South Carolina textile mill workers file mesothelioma claims?

Yes. Textile mills throughout the Upstate region used asbestos extensively in boiler rooms, steam pipe insulation, and machine room fireproofing. Mill mechanics, boiler operators, and maintenance workers had the highest exposure. Many of the manufacturers that supplied asbestos insulation to South Carolina mills have established bankruptcy trust funds that workers can file claims against.