Documents in our library describe Plastibest (Johns-Manville) as “plastibest no. 20, a special grade of asbestos fiber produced by j-m for this application [plastics reinforcement]”.1 They give it as sold from 1959.2 The asbestos named is chrysotile. Where the documents differ, each is listed below with its source.
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Asbestos claims
If you or a family member worked with or around Plastibest (Johns-Manville) and later developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, a claim may be paid by the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust. Free case review.
What each document says
Every statement about Plastibest (Johns-Manville) in the documents, in each document's own words.
Asbestos Magazine, 1961, February 1961
- Description: “Plastibest No. 20, a special grade of asbestos fiber produced by J-M for this application [plastics reinforcement]” (as of 1961), said by Johns-Manville Corporation, as recorded by Asbestos (magazine), p. 381
USPTO trademark case files (Trademark Full Text XML Data, Annual Applications, 2025 edition)
- Sold from: “first used in commerce 1959-09-14”, said by JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION, as recorded by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office2
- Description: “ASBESTOS FIBER SOLD ESPECIALLY FOR USE AS AN INGREDIENT OF PLASTICS”, said by JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION, as recorded by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office2
Ablative composition of matter (US Patent 3,562,304, 1971)
- Use: “asbestos used in an ablative thermal insulating composition: Plastibest® 20, manufactured by the Johns Manville Company” (sales to North American Rockwell Corporation), p. 13
Coupling agents for chrysotile asbestos and thermoplastic polymers (US Patent 3,928,278, 1975)
- Fiber grade: “a long fiber grade from Canada supplied by Johns-Manville Corp. with the trade name "Plastibest No. 20."”, p. 144
Precision-moldable abrasion-resistant molding composition and moldings (US Patent 3,988,291, 1976)
- Use: “"long-fiber" chrysotile asbestos from Johns-Manville under the trademark "Plastibest" for abrasion-resistant molding compositions” (sales to Rostone Corporation), p. 55
Chemically opening chrysotile asbestos and encapsulating (US Patent 3,965,284, 1976)
- Asbestos fiber: “Chrysotile asbestos, grade Plastibest No. 20 (trademark of Canadian Johns-Manville Co., Ltd.)”, p. 66
Bonded asbestos diaphragms (US Patent 4,093,533, 1978)
- Use: “Chrysotile asbestos (Plastibest from Johns Manville) used in bonded asbestos diaphragms for chlorine cells” (sales to The Dow Chemical Company), p. 37
Sourcebook on Asbestos Diseases: Medical, Legal, and Engineering Aspects, Volume Two
- Description: “asbestos fiber”, p. 1008
Kind of product
We list Plastibest (Johns-Manville) with raw fiber and filler, from how the documents describe it. That page explains how such products exposed workers.
Other raw fiber and filler by Johns-Manville (8)
Fibra-Flo · Asbaltic · Asbestos Fibers · Afd · Blue Mud · Celite · Chlorbestos · Fibra Flow
Raw fiber and filler by other makers (34)
Caposite (North American Asbestos) · Dicalite (maker not given) · Gold Bond Asbestos Fibers (National Gypsum) · Mimco (Mining & Milling Corp. of America) · Mother Lode (Pacific Asbestos) · Carey 7 RF (Carey Canadian Mines) · Diabestos (Great Lakes Carbon) · Fiberspray Asbestos (Acoustic) · Havestos (Haveg) · Montasite (Mining & General Technicians) · Mother Lode (Asbestos Textile Co.) · Pavebestos (Carey Canadian Mines) · Pluto (North American Asbestos) · Portugese Asbestos (Powhattan Mining) · Powminco (Powhattan Mining) · Red Clover (Vermont Asbestos) · Tropag (Oscar H. Reiter (importer)) · Usm Asbestos Fibers (United States Mineral Wool) · Visbestos (Montello) · Vra G3 (Turners Asbestos) · and 14 more: all raw fiber and filler
See also
- Johns-Manville: the company's history, documents, people, products and plants
- Johns-Manville on our products page: what the documents say about the company's asbestos products, with sources
References
- Asbestos Magazine, 1961, February 1961 (February 1, 1961), p. 38.
- USPTO trademark case files (Trademark Full Text XML Data, Annual Applications, 2025 edition) (December 16, 1964). Not yet published in our library.
- Ablative composition of matter (US Patent 3,562,304, 1971) (February 9, 1971), p. 1.
- Coupling agents for chrysotile asbestos and thermoplastic polymers (US Patent 3,928,278, 1975) (January 1, 1975), p. 14.
- Precision-moldable abrasion-resistant molding composition and moldings (US Patent 3,988,291, 1976) (January 1, 1976), p. 5.
- Chemically opening chrysotile asbestos and encapsulating (US Patent 3,965,284, 1976) (January 1, 1976), p. 6.
- Bonded asbestos diaphragms (US Patent 4,093,533, 1978) (January 1, 1978), p. 3.
- Sourcebook on Asbestos Diseases: Medical, Legal, and Engineering Aspects, Volume Two (1986), p. 100. Not yet published in our library.
Cite this page
“Plastibest (Johns-Manville).” AsbestosClaims.Law Library. https://asbestosclaims.law/library/products/johns-manville-plastibest.
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This page is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every asbestos case turns on its own facts, exposure history, diagnosis, deadlines, available evidence, and applicable law. Reviewing this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, call 833-4-ASBESTOS for a free case review.