Documented Exposure Sites
| # | Facility | Products | Active Period | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lyondell Chemical (formerly Arco Chemical) | Propylene Oxide, MTBE, Ethylene | 1966–present | Critical |
| 2 | Borden Chemical (Channelview) | Formaldehyde, Resins | 1958–2004 | High |
| 3 | Vista Chemical | Alcohols, Surfactants | 1984–1997 | High |
| 4 | Celanese Chemical (Channelview) | Acetic Acid, VAM | 1952–present | Critical |
| 5 | Equistar Chemicals (Channelview) | Ethylene, Polyethylene | 1997–2004 | High |
| 6 | Texas Petrochemical Corporation | Butadiene, Isobutylene | 1950–1980 | High |
| 7 | Rohm and Haas Channelview | Specialty Monomers | 1960–1990 | Moderate |
Lyondell Chemical and the Channelview Complex
The Channelview complex has been one of the largest propylene oxide and related petrochemical production sites in the world. Originally built by Atlantic Richfield (Arco) in the 1960s, the facility passed through ARCO Chemical, Lyondell Chemical, and LyondellBasell ownership. The original plant construction through the 1960s and 1970s used asbestos insulation on virtually all process equipment, reactors, distillation towers, and steam piping.
Turnaround maintenance — the periodic shutdown of process units for intensive repair and inspection — brought the highest asbestos exposure. Insulators, pipefitters, and boilermakers who removed and replaced asbestos insulation during turnarounds at the Channelview complex have filed numerous mesothelioma claims against the insulation manufacturers who supplied products to the facility.
Yes. Workers at Lyondell/Arco Chemical, Borden, Vista, Celanese, and other Channelview facilities can file asbestos product liability claims within Texas’s 2-year statute of limitations from mesothelioma diagnosis. Channelview claims are typically filed against the manufacturers of asbestos insulation and gasket products (such as Owens Corning, Armstrong, Manville, Johns-Manville) rather than the chemical plant operators. Contractor workers who performed turnaround maintenance at multiple Channelview plants may qualify for claims from multiple manufacturers simultaneously.
A plant turnaround (also called a “shutdown” or “TAR”) is a scheduled maintenance period when a process unit is completely shut down for inspection, cleaning, and repair. During turnarounds, insulation was removed from pipes and equipment to allow inspection and repair of the underlying surfaces, then re-installed — both operations generating high airborne asbestos concentrations. Turnaround workers, often contract employees, moved between multiple plants and faced cumulative exposure from dozens of turnaround events across their careers. This work history frequently supports strong mesothelioma claims.