Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in New York
New York's records include a Cayuga County plant that processed asbestos-contaminated vermiculite and, for people exposed in lower Manhattan after September 11, 2001, a federal health program that covers mesothelioma. This page also covers New York's discovery-based deadline and where to find care.
Last reviewed October 28, 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this page.
In short
- Documented sources: A vermiculite plant in Weedsport (Cayuga County); World Trade Center responders and survivors.
- Deadlines: personal injury 3 years from discovery (toxic exposure) (CPLR 214-c); wrongful death 2 years (EPTL 5-4.1).
- Care: 7 NCI-designated centers in the state, and 8 VA health care systems.
- Confirm every deadline with a lawyer licensed in the state.
Documented asbestos exposure in New York
We list only sites where asbestos is documented by a government agency or published research. Many other workplaces in New York likely used asbestos-containing insulation and equipment, but we do not name a site unless we can point to a record.
A vermiculite plant in Weedsport (Cayuga County)
Vermiculite mined at Libby, Montana, was contaminated with asbestos. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) studied 28 sites around the country that processed it. One was the Zonolite Company, later W.R. Grace, plant in Weedsport, which processed Libby vermiculite from about 1963 to 1989 with an estimated 8 to 10 employees at a time. Invoices show roughly 114,000 tons shipped there. ATSDR's report cites 1970 test data from the Weedsport plant showing a furnace without dust controls released about 6 pounds of particles an hour.
World Trade Center responders and survivors
Mesothelioma is on the federal list of World Trade Center-related health conditions (42 CFR 88.15), which means responders and survivors enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program may be able to have it certified and treated through the program. The program sets minimum time periods between 9/11 exposure and diagnosis for each type of cancer. This is a health program, separate from any legal claim.
New York filing deadlines
| Claim | Deadline | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury | 3 years from discovery (toxic exposure) | CPLR 214-c |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | EPTL 5-4.1 |
New York measures toxic exposure claims from discovery. Under CPLR 214-c, a personal injury case caused by exposure to a substance must be filed within three years of when the injury was discovered, or should reasonably have been discovered. Wrongful death actions are brought by the personal representative within two years of the death (EPTL 5-4.1).
Deadlines and discovery rules change and depend on the facts. Confirm them with a lawyer licensed in New York. Compare other states in our national table.
Treatment in New York
NCI lists 7 designated cancer centers in New York that see patients:
| Center (NCI profile) | Institution and location, as NCI lists it | NCI designation |
|---|---|---|
| Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center | Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, New York | Comprehensive |
| Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center | Columbia University New York, New York | Comprehensive |
| Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health | New York, New York | Comprehensive |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | New York, New York | Comprehensive |
| Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center | Buffalo, New York | Comprehensive |
| Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, New York | Clinical |
| Wilmot Cancer Institute | University of Rochester Rochester, New York | Clinical |
VA health care in New York
Veterans with asbestos-related illness can get care through VA. These VA health care systems serve New York; each system's page lists its medical centers and clinics:
- VA Bronx health care
- VA New York Harbor health care
- VA Northport health care
- VA Hudson Valley health care
- VA Albany health care
- VA Syracuse health care
- VA Finger Lakes health care
- VA Western New York health care
For benefits, see veterans and VA benefits or our veteran claim help form.
Workers' compensation
Work-related illness may fall under New York State Workers' Compensation Board. Each state's system has its own notice and filing deadlines. NCI notes that federal civilian employees and longshore and harbor workers have separate federal programs through the U.S. Department of Labor.
Other states
California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington. See all states.
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Start the free reviewCommon questions
I was at Ground Zero. Is a WTC Health Program claim the same as a lawsuit?
No. The WTC Health Program provides monitoring and treatment for certified conditions. Legal claims, trust claims, and compensation funds are separate, with their own rules and deadlines.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and deadlines differ by state and change; confirm anything that matters with a licensed attorney in your state. No one can promise how a claim will turn out.
Sources
- Summary report: exposure to asbestos-containing vermiculite from Libby, Montana, at 28 processing sites in the United States (ATSDR, 2008; copy hosted by EPA)
- 42 CFR 88.15: list of WTC-related health conditions (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations)
- Covered conditions (World Trade Center Health Program, CDC)
- CPLR 214-c (New York official code)
- EPTL 5-4.1 (New York official code)
- Find an NCI-designated cancer center (National Cancer Institute, list updated June 10, 2026)
- VA health care systems serving New York (VA.gov)
- New York State Workers' Compensation Board