LAWSUIT: Even though cancer-causing chemicals known as PCBs were banned in 1979, they continue to drain into LA's lakes and harbors and sicken Angelenos.
— Monsanto polluted Los Angeles’ waterways for decades with PCB’s, even though they knew the cancer-causing chemicals were toxic and would pollute the environment for decades, according to a lawsuit filed by City Attorney Mike Feuer.
“It’s time for Monsanto to clean up and pay up,” Feuer said in a statement. “The health and environmental impacts of PCBs – impacts the city has been working hard to reduce in waters throughout L.A.. – are just jaw dropping.”PCBs are a cancer-causing carcinogen which can in the short term cause skin, eye, and throat irritation; breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting, loss of weight, and stomach pain.
According to the lawsuit, Monsanto admitted internally they were toxic and were certain to cause massive and long-lasting environmental contamination, but in public, insisted they were safe and required no special disposal. PCBs, which were banned by the EPA in 1979 under the Toxic Substances Control Act, do not readily break down and continue to drain into the city’s waterways and contaminate local fish.The companies involved in the lawsuit have responded to a request for comment.