Pittsburgh Corning Corporation — a joint venture of PPG Industries and Corning Glass Works — manufactured Unibestos, a cellular glass and asbestos pipe insulation product widely used in industrial and marine applications. Unibestos was applied as a pipe covering product in Navy shipbuilding and overhaul operations during the high-exposure period of naval asbestos use. Pittsburgh Corning also manufactured asbestos mud powder and other asbestos-containing products distributed to industrial and naval customers. The United States Navy eventually prohibited the use of Unibestos on its vessels — formal regulatory action that confirmed both the product’s naval use and the Navy’s recognition of its asbestos hazard. Pittsburgh Corning’s asbestos liability resulted in a formal Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust established to compensate victims of Unibestos and other Pittsburgh Corning asbestos exposures. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Pittsburgh Corning Corporation extensively in naval contexts: the Navy’s specific prohibition of Unibestos, Unibestos pipe covering product identification in Navy asbestos proceedings, asbestos mud powder attribution to Pittsburgh Corning, documented jury verdicts against Pittsburgh Corning, and formal trust documentation.

Documented Asbestos — Pittsburgh Corning in Naval Litigation

Navy Prohibited Unibestos — Formal Prohibition

“…[[Navy]] prohibited the use of [[Unibestos]] on [its vessels]…” — formal documentation of the United States Navy’s prohibition of Unibestos on naval vessels appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus — an occurrence not once but in multiple independent documents. The Navy’s specific prohibition of a named asbestos product represents the most direct form of institutional acknowledgment of that product’s naval use and asbestos hazard. Pittsburgh Corning’s Unibestos was used extensively on Navy ships before the prohibition — and the prohibition itself confirms the product was present on the vessels from which it was subsequently banned.

“…there was no [[Unibestos]] insulation exposure [after prohibition — Pittsburgh Corning context]…” — documentation addressing the absence of Unibestos exposure after the Navy’s prohibition appears in the corpus, reflecting the formal timeline of Unibestos use and the prohibition’s role in marking the end of that exposure period.

Unibestos — Named Pipe Covering Product

“…[[Pittsburgh Corning]]’s [[Unibestos]] [pipe covering in Navy context]…” — formal identification of Pittsburgh Corning’s Unibestos as an asbestos pipe covering product in the naval asbestos exposure context appears in the corpus. Unibestos was applied as pre-formed sections of asbestos-cellular glass composite pipe insulation over steam and hot water piping — releasing asbestos fiber whenever the sections were cut, fitted, or disturbed during maintenance.

“…asbestos [[pipe]] insulation during his [[Navy]] [service — Pittsburgh Corning/Unibestos]…” — testimony establishing exposure to asbestos pipe insulation, identified as Pittsburgh Corning’s Unibestos, during Navy service appears in the corpus.

“…tos pipe covering made by [[Pittsburgh ]]Corning [Unibestos]…” — documentation specifically identifying Pittsburgh Corning as the manufacturer of asbestos pipe covering appears in the corpus, consistent with the product identification evidence in Pittsburgh Corning naval asbestos claims.

Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust

“…[Pittsburgh] Corning | www.pccasbestostrust.com [trust documentation]…” — formal documentation of the Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust, including its web presence, appears in the corpus. The Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust — established as part of Pittsburgh Corning Corporation’s asbestos bankruptcy proceedings — provides compensation to victims of Unibestos and other Pittsburgh Corning asbestos exposures who meet the trust’s medical and exposure criteria.

Verdict — Pittsburgh Corning

“…Douglas Brumley $16,875 Pittsburgh Cornin[g — verdict documentation]…” — documentation of a verdict against Pittsburgh Corning, with a specific dollar amount identified, appears in the corpus in an asbestos verdict reporting context. The Corning verdict documentation in the corpus establishes Pittsburgh Corning’s status as a defendant found liable in asbestos jury proceedings.

“…[[Corning]]), $8 million; and Union [[Asbestos]] [verdict documentation]…” — documentation of an $8 million verdict in a Corning asbestos case appears in the corpus, reflecting the scale of Pittsburgh Corning asbestos liability in jury proceedings.

Asbestos Mud Powder — Pittsburgh Corning

“…[[asbestos]] mud powder, [[PITTSBURGH CORNING]] C[orporation]…” — formal documentation specifically identifying Pittsburgh Corning Corporation as a manufacturer of asbestos mud powder appears in the corpus. Asbestos mud powder was used as a finishing and patching compound in industrial construction and maintenance — applied by workers at Navy facilities and aboard vessels during construction and repair.

Unarco and Pittsburgh Corning — Co-Identified

“…Unarco and [[Pittsburgh Corning]] [combined asbestos context]…” — documentation co-identifying UNARCO Industries and Pittsburgh Corning Corporation in the same asbestos exposure context appears in the corpus. The UNARCO-Pittsburgh Corning pairing reflects the multi-manufacturer asbestos insulation exposure framework in which Navy workers encountered products from multiple manufacturers in the same engineering space.

Pittsburgh Corning Products in Naval Applications

Unibestos pipe covering: Pittsburgh Corning’s Unibestos cellular glass and asbestos pipe insulation was applied to steam and hot water piping aboard Navy ships during the high-exposure era of naval construction and overhaul. The product’s cellular structure released asbestos fiber when cut or broken — a hazard confirmed by the Navy’s subsequent prohibition.

Asbestos mud powder: Pittsburgh Corning asbestos mud powder was used by insulation workers and maintenance trades for finishing and patching insulation systems — applied wet and sanded smooth when dry, releasing airborne asbestos fiber during both application and sanding operations.

Industrial cellular glass insulation: Pittsburgh Corning’s FOAMGLAS cellular glass products, applied in shipboard cold insulation and cryogenic systems, sometimes incorporated asbestos-containing accessories and joint sealants.

Navy veterans — particularly Machinist’s Mates, Boiler Technicians, and engineering ratings who worked in spaces insulated with Unibestos pipe covering — and shipyard workers who installed or removed Unibestos before the Navy’s prohibition, who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease, may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for veterans with documented duty aboard ships insulated with Unibestos pipe covering prior to the Navy’s prohibition
  • Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust claims for victims of Pittsburgh Corning asbestos exposure meeting the trust’s medical and exposure criteria
  • Civil claims against Pittsburgh Corning successors based on documented Unibestos pipe covering use aboard naval vessels and the Navy’s formal prohibition

Key documents:

  • DD-214 or service records — documenting service aboard ships insulated with Unibestos during the pre-prohibition period
  • Rating records — Machinist’s Mate, Boiler Technician, or other engineering rating with documented engineering space duty
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including the United States Navy’s formal prohibition of Pittsburgh Corning Unibestos on naval vessels, Unibestos pipe covering product identification in Navy asbestos proceedings, Pittsburgh Corning asbestos mud powder attribution, Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Trust formal documentation, documented jury verdicts against Pittsburgh Corning, and co-identification of Pittsburgh Corning with UNARCO in the Navy asbestos exposure framework. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.