We're pretty open with our communications with folks. Grace said its asbestos liabilities largely stem from commercially purchased asbestos added to some of its fire protection products. But it has also been accused of allowing asbestos fibers to get into building products put into hundreds of thousands of homes in the 1960s and 1970s. The company said it stopped adding any asbestos to its products in 1973. Mont. Hundreds of workers, townspeople and customers have claimed they developed lung disease and other illnesses after their exposure to asbestos in the vermiculite.
Grace is a co-defendant with other companies in lawsuits that have been filed across the country.
The company recently had worked to refurbish an image marred by environmental and public health problems. Mass. The company's bankruptcy leaves open the question of what will happen to potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in claims lodged against it. Some lawyers said they now will consider other options for mediation of lawsuits. Staff researcher Richard Drezen contributed to this report. News Jobs AP Shopping Archives Entertain.