In this video, attorney Joseph T. Kremer discusses asbestos exposure at Ashland Oil, a former refinery near Buffalo. Learn how workers and contractors were exposed to asbestos and what legal options are available if you or a loved one has developed an asbestos-related illness.

Hello, my name is Joe Kremer. I’m a partner at Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford. I’ve been practicing law since 1988, and for the past 25 years, I have focused on asbestos litigation.

Today, I want to talk to you about a significant job site in our area known as Ashland Oil. If you’ve lived in Buffalo for a while, you may recall the unpleasant “rotten egg” odor that used to be noticeable near the Grand Island Bridge—that smell came from Ashland Oil. Ashland Oil was a refinery that operated during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Its primary function was to convert oil into lighter fuels. One of the key components of this process was the use of a cracking tower—a large, rocket-shaped structure with thick walls, furnaces, vessels, and other heated units. Due to the high temperatures involved, asbestos was widely used for insulation. Workers involved in this process—including pipefitters, insulators, and those who handled refractory materials such as bricks and mortar—were routinely exposed to asbestos. Even refinery workers who did not directly handle asbestos materials often suffered from secondary exposure.

Many of the plant’s internal structures were insulated with asbestos thermal insulation. Contractors from the Insulators Union, Local 4, were often brought in to remove old asbestos and install new insulation. This removal process involved breaking up the old material using hammers and chisels, creating large clouds of asbestos dust. Installing the new insulation required cutting, sawing, and sweeping asbestos-containing materials, which further contaminated the work environment. Ashland |  also housed several large boilers. Workers in the boiler house—where river water was converted to steam—were surrounded by asbestos.

As a result, both refinery employees and outside contractors were exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos and have since developed, or continue to develop, asbestos-related diseases. Although Ashland Oil is no longer in operation, the effects of its activities persist. Many individuals who worked there have developed conditions such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

We hope you’re watching this video purely for informational purposes and that neither you nor your loved ones have been affected. However, if you or a family member has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, please contact us. We’d be glad to speak with you about your legal rights and available options. Thank you.

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Since 1995, the attorneys at Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC have been helping clients in Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, NY, who have been injured due to asbestos exposure. Through our tireless efforts, we have helped to shape and reform asbestos laws throughout the state of New York. We have a full team of lawyers devoted to representing people exposed to asbestos.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, please contact us today and we will schedule an appointment to come to your home and meet with you and your family to explain your legal rights.