The state of Washington has filed a lawsuit against agrochemical giant Monsanto for allegedly polluting the environment with toxic chemicals, which are now endangering the lives of plants, animals, and humans in the area.
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Thursday, Dec. 8, that the government is seeking damages and cleanup costs from the St. Louis-based agricultural company after it had hidden the real impact of its polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) products on the environment and human health.
"It is time to hold the sole U.S. manufacturer of PCBs accountable for the significant harm they have caused to our state," Ferguson said.
Aside from endangering the citizens of Washington, the attorney general said Monsanto's chemical products are also harmful to the lives of orcas and salmon, which the state has spent tens of millions of dollars to protect.
Banned Chemicals
Polychlorinated biphenyls were once primarily used for paint, hydraulic fluids, sealants, coolants and other commercial and industrial applications. Monsanto remained the sole producer of PCBs from 1935 until 1979, when Congress decided to ban the substance.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the use of PCBs has been linked to various health issues in humans and animals, including damage to the nervous, immune and reproductive systems, as well as the development of cancer.
Despite the filing of the lawsuit, Monsanto maintains the environmental case doesn't have enough merit to push through in court.
Company vice president Scott Partridge called the case "highly experimental" since it is targeting a manufacturer for producing and selling lawful and useful chemicals from decades ago. He asserted that governments and industries used their PCBs to help other products become safer to use.
Washington State, however, stressed that Monsanto and its two spinoff companies, Pharmacia and Solutia, should be made responsible for the damages PCBs have caused to the environment and the impact they have had on the state economy.
PCB Contamination
Ferguson said traces of PCBs have been found in the soil, air, and water systems of the state. The chemicals have been linked to contamination of various sites, including Puget Sound, Lake Spokane, Wenatchee River, and Commencement Bay.
Washington State is also not the only one seeking reparation from Monsanto over PCB contamination.
According to the State Attorney General's office, the company is also facing similar cases filed by at least eight West Coast cities, including Portland in Oregon and Berkeley, Long Beach, Oakland, and San Diego in California. These lawsuits are still ongoing.
