Maryland Mesothelioma by the Numbers: Sparrows Point, Shipyards, and Baltimore
Maryland mesothelioma data: 916 deaths 1999-2017, Sparrows Point exposure history, Baltimore County asbestos burden, and where cases cluster.
Maryland’s asbestos burden is concentrated in the Baltimore region. The Bethlehem Steel complex at Sparrows Point operated as both a steel mill and a shipyard for more than a century, from 1887 until the steel plant’s 2012 closure and the earlier 1997 end of shipbuilding. Across that span, thousands of steelworkers, shipfitters, pipefitters, insulators, welders, and boilermakers worked with or around asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, packing, fireproofing, and refractory materials.
Federal and state data tell the story in deaths rather than diagnoses. Between 1999 and 2017, Maryland recorded 916 mesothelioma deaths, according to CDC WONDER mortality data. Nationally, CDC MMWR data puts total mesothelioma deaths at 45,221 between 1999 and 2015 alone, underscoring how Maryland’s burden fits within a broader occupational disease toll. Baltimore County’s mesothelioma incidence rate of 0.7 per 100,000 (age-adjusted, 2018-2022), per the Maryland Department of Health EPHT portal, reflects the concentrated industrial exposure history in the region.
State and County Data
| Metric | Maryland / Baltimore County | National |
|---|---|---|
| Mesothelioma deaths (1999-2017) | 916 (CDC WONDER) | ~50,000+ for the period (CDC MMWR) |
| Baltimore County mesothelioma incidence (per 100K, 2018-2022) | 0.7 (MD EPHT) | N/A (state-level rates vary) |
| Statute of limitations (personal injury) | 3 years from diagnosis | Varies by state |
| Statute of limitations (wrongful death) | 3 years from date of death | Varies by state |
County-level mesothelioma incidence varies across Maryland, with Baltimore County’s rate the most documented at 0.7 per 100,000 (age-adjusted, 2018-2022) given its shipyard and steel mill history. Statewide mesothelioma incidence totals are not published as a single age-adjusted rate in the Maryland EPHT portal, so mortality counts from CDC WONDER are the most reliable statewide measure.
Where Exposure Happened
Maryland’s mesothelioma burden traces to a handful of industrial corridors, most of them on or near the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay.
Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point
Sparrows Point opened in 1887 as the Maryland Steel Company and was acquired by Bethlehem Steel in 1916. At peak, the site was one of the largest integrated steel and shipbuilding complexes in the world. Shipbuilding ran from the early 1890s through 1997. Steelmaking continued until 2012.
Workers at the Sparrows Point shipyard handled asbestos across nearly every vessel they built or repaired. Insulation for boilers, engines, pipes, bulkheads, and decks contained asbestos. Gaskets and packing released dust when cut or replaced. Electrical components often used asbestos insulation. Cramped, poorly ventilated shipboard spaces concentrated exposure for welders, pipefitters, insulators, and machinists. Navy procurement rules required asbestos on vessels through the middle of the 20th century, so every Sparrows Point shipyard worker building Navy or merchant hulls encountered it.
On the steel side, Sparrows Point’s furnaces, rolling mills, and crane systems used asbestos refractories, insulation, and brake linings. Crane-brake litigation alone produced hundreds of Sparrows Point asbestos claims. Those exposures continue to drive Maryland mesothelioma diagnoses and deaths in the 2020s because of the disease’s 20 to 60 year latency.
Port of Baltimore Shipyards
Beyond Sparrows Point, the Port of Baltimore hosted additional shipyards including Key Highway Shipyard and other Patapsco River facilities. The same asbestos-containing materials, insulation, gaskets, packing, fireproofing, were present across these sites, exposing another layer of Maryland shipbuilders, repair crews, and contractors. Baltimore shipyard workers share exposure profiles with those at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and Pittsburgh steel mills, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and other East Coast maritime facilities.
Baltimore-Based Insulation Contractors
Two Baltimore insulation contractors, Porter-Hayden Company and Wallace & Gale Company, installed asbestos products across Maryland industrial, commercial, and school buildings for decades. Both companies later filed for bankruptcy, and both are now represented by asbestos bankruptcy trusts documented in the Maryland asbestos trust funds overview. Their installation histories are the reason Sparrows Point, Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, and many other Maryland sites appear repeatedly in asbestos court records.
Pre-1980 Maryland Construction
Maryland schools, hospitals, office buildings, and industrial plants built before 1980 routinely used asbestos in pipe and block insulation, floor tiles, roofing, and fireproofing. Insulators, pipefitters, electricians, and construction laborers working on these buildings faced daily exposure. The Busch v. Wallace & Gale Asbestos Settlement Trust case, which involved construction at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, is one documented example.
Who Is Most at Risk
- Sparrows Point steel and shipyard workers across roughly a century of operations
- Baltimore Port shipyard workers at Key Highway and other Patapsco River yards
- Insulators, pipefitters, and steamfitters statewide, particularly those who installed Porter-Hayden or Wallace & Gale products
- Boilermakers and machinists at Maryland power plants and industrial facilities
- Construction tradespeople working in pre-1980 schools, hospitals, and commercial buildings
- Family members of Sparrows Point and shipyard workers, exposed by asbestos carried home on work clothes
Maryland applies a three-year statute of limitations to both mesothelioma personal injury claims (running from diagnosis or reasonable discovery) and wrongful death claims (running from the date of death), under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sections 5-101 and 5-108. Early legal consultation allows time to document exposure histories that often span multiple decades and employers.
Legal and Compensation Context
Maryland workers and their families typically recover through a combination of bankruptcy trust claims and traditional lawsuits. The Maryland asbestos trust funds overview covers the Porter-Hayden, Wallace & Gale, and national trusts most relevant to Sparrows Point and shipyard workers. The Maryland verdicts and settlements overview covers documented case outcomes, including a major Busch steamfitter verdict and a large talc verdict in Baltimore City against Johnson & Johnson.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC USCS Mesothelioma Report.
https://www.cdc.gov/united-states-cancer-statistics/publications/mesothelioma.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC WONDER Mortality Database.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/
Maryland Department of Health EPHT Portal. Maryland Mesothelioma Incidence Map.
https://maps.health.maryland.gov/ephtportal/cancer-mesothelioma/status/mesothelioma
US EPA Sparrows Point Project Profile. Sparrows Point Shipyard Exposure History.
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/sparrowspoint_ppa_final.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality, United States, 1999-2015 (MMWR Vol. 66 No. 8).
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6608a3.htm
US Geological Survey. Reported Historic Asbestos Mines, Prospects, and Natural Occurrences in California (OFR 2011-1188).
https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20111188
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leading Causes of Death in Maryland, National Center for Health Statistics.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/states/md.html
Reader Q&A
Frequently Asked Questions
How many mesothelioma deaths has Maryland recorded?
Maryland recorded 916 mesothelioma deaths between 1999 and 2017, according to CDC WONDER mortality data. CDC mortality data does not currently publish a single statewide age-adjusted mesothelioma incidence rate for Maryland.
Which Maryland county has the highest mesothelioma burden?
Baltimore County. Its mesothelioma incidence rate is 0.7 per 100,000 (age-adjusted, 2018-2022), according to the Maryland Department of Health EPHT portal. The county’s long history of shipyard and steel mill operations at Sparrows Point drives that concentration.
Why does Sparrows Point produce so many Maryland mesothelioma cases?
Sparrows Point operated for more than 120 years as an integrated steel mill and shipyard. Workers encountered asbestos in insulation, gaskets, packing, refractories, and brake linings across nearly every job role. Because mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 60 years, exposures from the 1940s through the 1980s continue to produce diagnoses today.
What is the statute of limitations for mesothelioma in Maryland?
Three years. Personal injury claims run three years from diagnosis or reasonable discovery, and wrongful death claims run three years from the date of death. The rules are set in Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sections 5-101 and 5-108.
Are family members of Maryland workers at risk from take-home exposure?
Yes. Household members of Sparrows Point, shipyard, and insulation workers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma tied to asbestos carried home on work clothes. The Dixon v. Ford Motor Company case, arising from take-home brake exposure, reached a substantial Baltimore City jury verdict, later reduced under Maryland’s non-economic damages cap.
Which state has the most asbestos?
California has the most asbestos of any U.S. state, with naturally occurring asbestos deposits in 42 of its 58 counties and a total of 290 documented natural asbestos occurrences, according to a USGS and California Geological Survey inventory (USGS Open-File Report 2011-1188). The state’s geology, combined with its history of mining operations, construction projects, and military installations, has created widespread exposure risks. California consistently records the highest raw total of new mesothelioma cases of any state each year. Other states with significant asbestos presence include Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and several western states with naturally occurring deposits in mountainous regions.
Will 30 minutes of asbestos exposure hurt you?
No level of asbestos exposure is safe, but 30 minutes of exposure carries a low risk of causing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases, as risk follows a dose-response relationship tied more to long-term occupational exposure. Brief incidents like 30 minutes are unlikely to cause harm unless involving high fiber concentrations, poor ventilation, or amphibole asbestos types. Factors such as visible dust or enclosed spaces elevate potential harm, while intact materials outdoors pose minimal threat. People with any exposure history should report details to their physicians, as diseases may appear 20 to 50 years later.
What is the leading cause of death in Maryland?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Maryland, consistently ranking first ahead of cancer since at least 1999, according to CDC and the Maryland Department of Health. In 2022, heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular diseases together accounted for 47% of the state’s 26,265 total deaths, per CDC National Center for Health Statistics data. The CDC lists heart disease as the number one cause, followed by cancer and then accidents or chronic lower respiratory disease.