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Asbestos really was used just about everywhere – and in just about everything.
A verdict from a Delaware jury awarded $9 million to the surviving family members of a hunter who was exposed to asbestos from gun bullets – yes, gun bullets – and died from mesothelioma later in his life. This substantial mesothelioma verdict awarded compensation for the deceased’s family, while holding the former DuPont Co. and a subsidiary accountable for using the deadly mineral.
Delaware Online first reported news of the verdict and details of the case.
How the Victim Was Exposed to Asbestos
Eugene S., of Illinois, died in March of 2022 from mesothelioma. This cancer forms in the lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity or heart. The only cause of the disease is exposure to mesothelioma.
Most people who develop mesothelioma cancer are exposed from working with or near asbestos in the construction, repair, renovation, or demolition of a building. Asbestos was a popular addition to construction, insulation and electrical materials during the 20th century.
The most common occupations with regular asbestos exposure were construction work, electrical work, plumbing, demolition work, maintenance work, and automobile manufacturing. Even today, people working in these trades can encounter asbestos when working in old buildings built or repaired with asbestos materials and products.
Eugene’s primary source of asbestos exposure was not any of these more conventional methods. Rather, according to the Delaware Online report, he was exposed from the Remington shotgun shells he used while hunting.
Asbestos is a fire-resistant and durable mineral. It could have enhanced some properties of bullets and made them more resilient. However, the slightest disturbance of asbestos – such as a gun firing – could cause the fibers that make up asbestos to break apart. These fibers then float in the air, where they can be inhaled without people knowing.
More About the Shotgun Shells Mesothelioma Lawsuit
According to the lawsuit, DuPont did not warn the victim or other hunters of the asbestos within Remington and Peters brand shotgun shells. The lawsuit alleges the company “hid the fact that there was asbestos in the (shells).”
DuPont gained majority ownership and control of Remington in 1933. Around the 1960s, DuPont started including asbestos in its Remington shells.
In 1980, Remington became a subsidiary of DuPont. The parent company controlled manufacturing at the plans where asbestos was inserted into the shells, according to the lawsuit. According to the Delaware Online report and the lawsuit, DuPont had representatives at the plant to oversee manufacturing – evidence the parent company was aware of and approved of using asbestos in the shells.
According to reports, asbestos shotgun shells were marketed and sold as a joint product of DuPont and Remington. The shells were colored green, which is associated with safety. The lawsuit claims the victim assumed the shells were reliable and safe based on the DuPont and Remington names and reputations.
DuPont Stops Using Asbestos in Shells – but Does Not Admit Fault
During the 1980s, around the time when asbestos was phased out across all industries, DuPont stopped using the mineral in shotgun shells. The lawsuit claims there was never a recall of these shells, and they were sold and used throughout the 1980s by the victim and other hunters.
The company that produced these bullets was called DuPont Co. at the time of the manufacturing. However, the company sued in this case is not part of the DuPont company that exists today, which was separated from the legacy company in 2019. That company – known as E.I. DuPont de Nemours and now, EIDP Inc. – is owned by Corteva Inc.
Sporting Goods Properties Inc., which essentially is the new name of Remington Arms Co., was also named in the mesothelioma lawsuit. The company is an EIDP entity.
We Can Help Hunters Exposed to Asbestos
Are you a former or current hunter who has used Remington or DuPont shotgun shells? Did you use them prior to 1990? If so, you might have used shotgun shells laced with dangerous asbestos. You may have been exposed to loose fibers capable of causing cancer in your tissue linings.
Mesothelioma Guide has support resources for hunters – or anyone else – exposed to asbestos and living with mesothelioma or another related health condition. We can also help the surviving family members of people who have died from an asbestos disease.
If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer, or another disease caused by asbestos exposure, contact our staff. Email Carl Jewett at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com for immediate assistance and clarity on your options.
Sources & Author
- Jury awards $9M to hunter who died of cancer after using ex-DuPont company’s asbestos-laced shells. Delaware Online. Retrieved from: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/business/2025/07/24/dupont-9m-hunter-died-cancer-asbestos-laced-shells/85350103007/. Accessed: 08/19/2025.
Sources & Author
