Hercules Chemical Co. Asbestos Exposure
Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. has a documented asbestos claims history and an asbestos settlement trust. Its official trust requires credible exposure to an asbestos-containing product for which Hercules is legally responsible. The company supplied products to the plumbing and heating trades; a historical product, worksite and date must be identified before connecting a worker’s diagnosis to Hercules.
The trust currently displays a 2.0% payment percentage, effective October 17, 2022. That figure is more reliable for this trust than older percentages repeated elsewhere. It applies to eligible claims after review, not to an assumed amount for everyone who used a Hercules-branded product. Current Sta Put plumber’s putty is described by Oatey as a plumbing sealant, but a current product listing does not establish the ingredients of a decades-old container.
On This Page
- Company history and identity
- Products and materials
- Workers and jobsites
- Exposure pathways
- Claims and compensation
- Verified trust records
- Evidence checklist
- Frequently asked questions
- Submit your case
Hercules Chemical Company History and Identity
Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. was a plumbing-trade supplier. In a 2012 announcement, Oatey said its subsidiary HCC Holdings had acquired certain Hercules Chemical assets, and identified the business as a supplier to plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical trades. The announcement described an asset transaction, not proof that every historical liability or formulation moved to a buyer.
| Documented milestone | Source and relevance |
|---|---|
| August 22, 2008 | Petition date displayed by the Hercules trust |
| February 9, 2010 | Trust’s stated effective date |
| May 8, 2011 | Initial claims filing date |
| January 2012 | Oatey announced acquisition of certain assets |
The trust agreement identifies Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. as the Chapter 11 debtor in District of New Jersey case 08-27822 and establishes a trust for asbestos claims. The trust website calls itself the Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust; the agreement uses the name Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. Asbestos Trust. Both refer to the Hercules claims mechanism described here.
Names matter because Hercules Chemical Company, Inc., the plumbing-products business, should not be assumed to be any other business with Hercules in its name. An old product label, invoice or bankruptcy filing can confirm which legal entity is involved. Oatey’s present-day product listing is useful for identifying a current brand, not reconstructing older ownership or ingredient changes.
| Identity check | Record to compare |
|---|---|
| Historical producer | Original label and dated invoice |
| Brand on current shelf | Oatey listing and present product number |
| Trust debtor | Plan exhibit and trust agreement |
| Individual exposure | Employer, jobsite, year and product evidence |
Hercules Plumbing Products and Asbestos Identification
Hercules sold a broad range of plumbing and heating products. Oatey currently describes Hercules Sta Put as a plumber’s putty used to seal fixtures, faucets, strainers and similar installations. The existence of a product line today cannot determine whether an older version contained asbestos. Trust eligibility turns on meaningful and credible exposure to an actual asbestos-containing Hercules product.
| Product or material | Necessary distinction |
|---|---|
| Historical Hercules putty | Identify exact type, date and composition |
| Historical furnace cement | Identify label, formula and heat-service task |
| Current Sta Put putty | Modern listing does not prove old ingredients |
| Nearby pipe insulation | Could be a separate manufacturer’s material |
| Other plumbing chemical | Brand alone does not establish asbestos content |
Historical accounts mention putties and furnace cements in connection with Hercules asbestos claims, but the trust’s public distribution procedures do not provide a comprehensive product-by-product ingredient list. A claimant should look for period-specific labels, safety information, purchase orders and credible testimony. Avoid assigning a fixed asbestos percentage to every container without a verified formulation record.
The trust explicitly reserves the right to contest whether a particular asbestos product was manufactured, sold, supplied, distributed or marketed by Hercules. It does not pay a claim merely because a worker remembers buying something with the company name. The substance, trade use and time of contact each require evidence.
| Question about an old container | Best next record |
|---|---|
| Which product was it? | Legible label, stock code or job invoice |
| When was it purchased? | Supply-house or employer order history |
| Was asbestos present? | Contemporaneous formula or reliable testing |
| Who used it? | Work ticket and coworker account |
Workers and Jobsites Relevant to Hercules Products
The trust’s Appendix I lists accepted professions associated with its product-use pattern. Examples include plumbers, plumber mechanics, pipefitters, boiler mechanics, furnace installers, heating workers and maintenance workers. Being on this list does not itself establish exposure, and another job title is not an automatic bar under every circumstance. The distribution procedures describe a stricter first-hand evidence rule for workers outside the listed occupations.
| Occupation on trust list | Task history to reconstruct |
|---|---|
| Plumber or apprentice plumber | Fixture setting, repairs and sealant identification |
| Pipefitter | Pipe installation and nearby products |
| Boiler mechanic | Heat-service repairs and old cement |
| Furnace repair worker | Removal or application of repair compound |
| Building maintenance worker | Repeated repairs and locations |
Potential jobsites include buildings with plumbing and heating systems, boiler rooms, maintenance shops and industrial facilities. These examples reflect trade settings; they do not establish that a Hercules asbestos-containing product was present at any particular site. A shop’s use of one Hercules product cannot identify every material brought to the same job.
For a worker with several employers, create a timeline for each assignment. Identify the fixture or heating equipment, the specific compound, the crew and any cleanup task. An invoice in a central storeroom may show purchase without proving the worker handled the material. A statement from someone who saw the product used at the worker’s location can help fill that gap.
| Jobsite detail | Evidence example |
|---|---|
| Employer and dates | Payroll, union or tax records |
| Product delivery | Supply invoice and purchase order |
| Worker’s task | Maintenance ticket and testimony |
| Possible other sources | Insulation survey and equipment history |
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How Asbestos Exposure Could Occur
EPA explains that disturbing asbestos-containing material can release fibers into the air. For an old plumbing or heating product, investigate whether it was scraped away, cut, sanded, mixed from dry material or broken during repairs. A putty’s mere presence on a fixture does not show that airborne asbestos reached someone. The actual formulation and handling condition are decisive.
| Potential activity | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Removing old fixture seal | Was the putty asbestos-containing and disturbed? |
| Applying furnace cement | What formula and handling method were used? |
| Breaking hardened repair material | Did debris or visible dust become airborne? |
| Cleaning tools or work area | Was settled material disturbed again? |
| Working nearby | Was the worker within the dust path? |
A plumbing repair can also disturb pipe insulation, gaskets or building materials made by another company. Keep those sources separate when describing the task. The trust defines Hercules exposure as meaningful and credible contact with asbestos-containing products tied to its legal responsibility, so evidence about unrelated insulation cannot replace product proof.
The National Cancer Institute identifies asbestos as a cause of mesothelioma and other disease, with symptoms sometimes appearing decades after exposure. A clinical diagnosis establishes the medical side of a claim. It does not by itself establish which material was handled during a particular shift or that a specific manufacturer’s product was present.
| Evidence layer | Example |
|---|---|
| Product content | Dated label, specification or analysis |
| Dust release | Repair method and witness account |
| Worker contact | Duration, frequency and distance |
| Medical evidence | Pathology and diagnostic records |
Hercules Asbestos Trust and Compensation
The trust website identifies a petition date of August 22, 2008, an effective date of February 9, 2010, and an initial filing date of May 8, 2011. Its posted payment percentage is 2.0%, effective October 17, 2022. As checked September 21, 2026, the homepage displayed that figure. The site also states a $15 filing fee for all claims; check the trust directly before submitting because procedures can change.
| Trust fact | Official posted information |
|---|---|
| Trust | Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust |
| Payment percentage | 2.0%, effective October 17, 2022 |
| Filing fee | $15 per claim on current homepage |
| Claim form | Available from trust resources |
| Exposure standard | Meaningful, credible Hercules asbestos exposure |
The trust distribution procedures reproduced in the resource library show initial scheduled values of $70,000 for mesothelioma, $14,000 for lung cancer, $3,900 for other cancer, $6,500 for severe asbestosis and $1,100 for nonmalignant disease. Those were baseline values in the filed TDP, subject to later change with required approvals. The live homepage confirms the payment percentage but does not itself confirm that every historical scheduled value remains unchanged.
For illustration only, multiplying the TDP exhibit’s $70,000 mesothelioma value by the posted 2.0% produces $1,400 before any applicable fees, offsets or other rules. That arithmetic is not an offer or a verified current award. A qualifying claimant’s actual liquidated value, disease level, filing history and applicable TDP version determine payment.
| Illustrative calculation | Result at posted 2.0% |
|---|---|
| Historical mesothelioma scheduled $70,000 × 0.02 | $1,400 illustration |
| Historical lung cancer scheduled $14,000 × 0.02 | $280 illustration |
| Actual claim | Trust review and current rules control |
Verified Trust Criteria and Source Limits
The TDP requires exposure to Hercules asbestos before 1986 for presumptive expedited review. For lung cancer, other cancer and nonmalignant levels, it also describes six months of occupational Hercules exposure and significant occupational asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma has its own disease-level requirements: a diagnosis and Hercules exposure under the applicable definition. Do not extend the extra six-month condition to mesothelioma simply because other levels require it.
| Disease level | Historical TDP condition in brief |
|---|---|
| V: Mesothelioma | Diagnosis and defined Hercules exposure |
| IV: Lung cancer | Diagnosis plus specified occupational evidence |
| III: Other cancer | Specified cancer, asbestos-related disease and exposure |
| II: Severe asbestosis | Medical and occupational criteria |
| I: Nonmalignant | Bilateral disease and occupational criteria |
The TDP defines significant occupational exposure as at least five cumulative years, including at least two before 1986, with regular asbestos handling, fabrication, alteration or close-proximity work described in its text. That rule is relevant to the listed disease categories requiring it. A claim’s timing and review route may raise additional issues under the trust documents.
Appendix I lists accepted professions; a person outside the list who asserts direct exposure generally must state first-hand exposure, rather than relying solely on a coworker affidavit, with a stated exception for deceased claimants. The trust may establish individual review for some occupation-criteria disputes. These are specific documentary rules, not a guarantee of acceptance for every person with a listed job title.
| Primary document | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| Trust homepage | Current posted 2.0% and $15 fee |
| Trust agreement and TDP | Creation, values and exposure rules |
| Official claim form | Required worker, disease and product fields |
| Oatey announcement | Acquisition of certain assets in 2012 |
Evidence Checklist for Workers and Families
The trust claim form asks for employer, location, profession and the Hercules asbestos-containing product. It also requests disease information and diagnosis date. Prepare a work history connecting the person to the product during a specific job and describe how the material was handled. For deceased workers, preserve records establishing who may submit a claim on their behalf.
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Medical report | Supports disease level and diagnosis date |
| Employer and union files | Establishes trade and job dates |
| Product purchase record | Connects Hercules item to site |
| Witness statement | Describes use and worker contact |
| Prior lawsuit filing | Helps evaluate timing and disclosure |
The TDP allows exposure evidence through claimant affidavits, reliable coworker or family statements in applicable circumstances, invoices, employment or construction records, and other credible evidence. It permits the trust to request more documentation. A witness should identify the product and task actually observed rather than assume every material near a boiler belonged to Hercules.
If exposure occurred through an occupationally exposed household member, the claim form provides a separate section for secondary exposure and asks for that worker’s history. Record what clothing or tools came home, the period of contact and the named worker’s Hercules product exposure. Review the governing TDP and current form before filing, because secondary exposure has its own proof questions.
| Before submission | Confirm |
|---|---|
| Correct entity | Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. product |
| Eligible exposure | Asbestos content, task and required dates |
| Medical level | Diagnosis supported by required records |
| Review method | Expedited, individual or secondary as appropriate |
| Current instructions | Fee, submission method and TDP updates |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hercules Chemical have an asbestos trust?
Yes. Its official settlement-trust website provides the trust distribution procedures, claim form and current posted payment percentage.
What is the trust’s posted payment percentage?
The official homepage displays 2.0%, effective October 17, 2022, as checked September 21, 2026.
Does every Hercules plumbing product contain asbestos?
No such conclusion follows from the trust’s existence. Establish the exact historical product and asbestos content.
Was Sta Put plumber’s putty used for fixtures?
Oatey describes the current product as a sealing putty for fixtures and faucets. Verify an older formulation separately.
Which workers are named in the trust’s occupation list?
Examples include plumbers, pipefitters, boiler workers, furnace workers and maintenance trades; each claim still needs product exposure proof.
Does a mesothelioma claimant need six months of Hercules exposure?
The TDP’s listed mesothelioma criteria require diagnosis and defined Hercules exposure; other disease levels have additional time requirements.
Does the 2.0% rate guarantee a particular payout?
No. The trust determines eligibility and claim value under its applicable rules before applying its payment percentage.
What evidence does the claim form request?
It asks for disease, employer, jobsite, profession, Hercules asbestos product and supporting work history, with other proof as needed.
Summary
Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. has an official asbestos settlement trust for eligible exposure claims. Its site posts a 2.0% payment percentage effective October 17, 2022. Trust eligibility requires a specific asbestos-containing Hercules product, credible contact and qualifying medical evidence. Historic TDP values are a reference point, not a promise of a current award.
| Key point | Verified position |
|---|---|
| Company | Plumbing and heating products supplier |
| Trust | Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. settlement trust |
| Payment rate | 2.0% effective October 17, 2022 |
| Posted fee | $15 per claim; verify before filing |
| Central proof | Asbestos-containing Hercules product and credible exposure |
General information, not medical or legal advice. Eligibility, deadlines, values and payment depend on individual facts and current trust rules.
Confirmed Sources
- Hercules Chemical Company, Inc. Asbestos Settlement Trust: Official Homepage
- Hercules Trust Agreement and Trust Distribution Procedures
- Hercules Trust Claim Form and Declaration
- Hercules Trust Resources and Trustee Notices
- Oatey: Acquisition of Certain Hercules Chemical Assets (2012)
- Oatey: Current Hercules Sta Put Product
- U.S. EPA: Learn About Asbestos
- National Cancer Institute: Asbestos
Submit Your Case
If you handled a historical Hercules plumbing or heating product and have an asbestos-related diagnosis, gather product, worksite and medical records for individual review. Confirm the current trust instructions and the formulation involved before estimating eligibility or payment.
Need help now? Call 800.291.0963
Live chat is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Submit Your Case