Corporate representatives of DuPont have admitted that the company had knowledge of the ill effects of asbestos way back in the 1930s and chose to do nothing about it. The shocking truth that came to light in a New Jersey court is likely to spell doom for the one of the largest chemical companies in the world.
Judith Stadler, representing DuPont, said that the company was aware of the asbestos link to lung cancer and mesothelioma by the 1950s. This was substantiated by revealing internal communications of the company dating back to the 1960s that made it evident that the DuPont management knew the risks but chose to hide the information from its workers and the public.
Dupont did not manufacture any asbestos product, but it made use of material that contained asbestos in its chemical plants. These included countertops, lab equipment (such as Bunsen burner pads), and protective heat-resistant and chemical-resistant clothing. As a result, a very large number of DuPont employees or employees of contractors have likely been exposed to asbestos in the period. Plaintiffs of the huge ongoing class action lawsuit against DuPont Chemical maintain that the company could have put in place policies to protect the workers, which it did not.