During World War II, the Arthur D. Little Company invented a filter that removed radioactive particles from the air. This filter, called the absolute filter, was manufactured under a classified government contract. After the absolute filter was declassified in 1950, Arthur D. Little Company and Carrier Corporation formed a joint venture called the Cambridge Filter Corporation in order to manufacture and sell the filter. In 1954, Cambridge Filter became an independent corporation. Originally located on Erie Boulevard in Syracuse, New York, Cambridge manufactured filters for many military and industrial purposes, including radiation protection, gas masks and automotive filters. In 1962, Cambridge Filter moved its manufacturing facility to a 178,000 square foot building on eleven acres of land in Liverpool, New York. The Liverpool facility employed nearly 300 workers. The Farr Company acquired Cambridge Filter in 1991 and moved the Cambridge production line to Mississippi. The Liverpool facility closed and has since been renovated into the Cambridge Business Center. Currently, the Cambridge Business Center has three distribution warehouse spaces on the former Cambridge Filter factory floor.

Prior to the late 1970’s, asbestos was incorporated into absolute filters manufactured by Cambridge Filter. Asbestos-containing paper was a vital component of these filters. The asbestos paper contained between five and ten percent crocidolite asbestos, which is a form of asbestos mined in either South Africa or Bolivia. Crocidolite (also known as blue asbestos) is considered to be one of the most hazardous types of asbestos.  During the manufacturing process of absolute filters, asbestos paper was cut, folded, sewn and trimmed. These processes filled the air with asbestos dust and fibers, which workers inhaled.  Inhaling dust and particles from the manufacture of absolute filters placed workers at risk of developing mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Many workers were not aware of the dangers of exposure to asbestos dust and carried on their work without masks or protective gear. The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio have gathered a vast amount of information concerning the type and variety of asbestos-containing products to which our clients were exposed. If you or a loved one worked at Cambridge Filter Corporation and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, please contact us for a free case evaluation.