Cooling Towers — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk
What This Equipment Is
A cooling tower rejects waste heat from a circulating water loop to the atmosphere by evaporative cooling. Hot return water cascades over a packed fill section while induced or forced air moves through, cooling the water as a small fraction evaporates. The cooled water collects in a basin and recirculates to the heat source.
Industrial cooling towers serve:
- Power-plant condenser cooling (steam turbine exhaust)
- Refinery process cooling (heat exchangers, compressor aftercoolers)
- Brewery and food-processing refrigeration (ammonia condensers)
- Large HVAC chiller plants (hospitals, commercial buildings)
From roughly the 1950s through the 1970s, several major cooling-tower components were specified using asbestos-bearing materials:
| Component | Where in the Tower | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fill packing | Splash bars, decking, fill sheets | Some grades used asbestos-cement sheet |
| Drift eliminators | Above the fill, below the fan deck | Asbestos-cement louvers in some designs |
| Casing panels and louvers | Tower exterior walls | Asbestos-cement panel |
| Exhaust stack components | Fan-deck stacks | Asbestos-cement stack sections |
| Cold-water-basin liners | Lower basin | Asbestos-containing protective coatings |
Why Cooling Tower Work Was a High-Exposure Activity
Cooling-tower construction and refit involved cutting, drilling, and fastening asbestos-cement panels and components. Demolition and major fill replacement — typically performed once or twice in a tower’s service life — disturbed legacy asbestos-cement sections that had been weathering for decades. Welding and torch work during repair would burn protective coatings and release fiber.
Tower mechanics, refrigeration mechanics, and contract crews performing major rebuilds are the most-exposed categories.
Manufacturers Named in Cooling-Tower-Component Litigation
- Marley Cooling Tower — tower OEM named in installation/maintenance claims
- Johns-Manville — asbestos-cement components and Transite panel
- CertainTeed — asbestos-cement products
- Eternit — asbestos-cement products
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard — insulation products
Documented Product References
Images sourced from publicly available product-identification reference materials. Inclusion does not constitute a finding of liability against any company.
Trust Funds That May Apply
- Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard Asbestos PI Trust
- Various smaller asbestos-cement-product trusts
Trades Most Exposed at Cooling Tower Work
Tower mechanics, refrigeration mechanics, sheet-metal mechanics, millwrights during major fill replacements, demolition crews, contract construction and rebuild crews.
Jobsites in the Network Documenting Cooling Towers
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Louis, Missouri — refrigeration condenser cooling
- Every Missouri power plant and refinery in the network
- See companion pages: Ammonia Compressors, Brine Chillers
Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation, EPA / state-DNR records, and industry-publication histories. Product and company references reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed litigation. This page does not constitute a finding of liability against any company. Not legal advice; consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.