Monsanto Slapped with a mammoth $857 Million Fine for PCB Chemical Exposure
In the heart of Monroe, a city known for its educational institutions, a group of individuals, including former students of the Sky Valley Education Center and volunteers, are claiming illnesses due to the chemical PCB. These plaintiffs accuse the chemical, polychlorinated biphenyls, of leaking from fluorescent lamps at the school, causing respiratory problems and potentially contributing to cancer.
PCBs, previously used in fluorescent lamp capacitors as cooling and insulating fluids, were believed to have seeped out from the school, leading to these health issues.
During the trial, Felix Luna, plaintiff attorney, argued that Monsanto, the chemical giant, failed to adequately warn about the dangers of PCBs and concealed their harmful effects. A jury found Monsanto liable for negligence.
Monsanto, now under Bayer's ownership, announced its intention to appeal the decision, refuting the jury's finding of increased PCB levels in the plaintiffs' blood and air tests.
Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018 for an eye-watering $63 billion. Since then, the German chemical conglomerate has been grappling with lawsuits and trials regarding the weedkiller Roundup and its chemical glyphosate, suspected of having carcinogenic effects. In the USA, tens of thousands of lawsuits have been filed due to allegations of cancer caused by glyphosate.
Further Reading:
Despite Monsanto's contention, a jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, ordering the company to pay $857 million in damages due to their failure to warn about PCB's risks and concealing its harmful impacts. The study linking PCBs to fluorescent lamp capacitors and respiratory issues, as well as cancer, has once again brought attention to the environmental impact of chemical production in Monroe, known as Washington's "chemical valley."
Meanwhile, Monsanto's parent company, Bayer, is facing more trials regarding its controversial weedkiller, Roundup and the chemical glyphosate it contains. Several lawsuits in the USA have alleged cancer caused by glyphosate, resulting in Bayer settling and paying out millions of dollars. While the majority of lawsuits have been resolved, around 4,400 remain pending, making Bayer's battle against these allegations far from over.
Sources:
Enrichment Data:
Bayer and Monsanto are currently facing a deluge of lawsuits related to their use of glyphosate in Roundup. A summary of the current situation is below:
- Glyphosate and Roundup Lawsuits:
- Approximately 170,000 lawsuits have been pursued against Bayer and Monsanto, alleging Roundup causes cancer, mainly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.[1][5]
- Bayer has paid out nearly $11 billion in Roundup lawsuit settlements and verdicts since October 2023.[1][5]
- Around 4,400 Roundup claims remain pending in federal court.[5]
- Large verdicts have been handed down in recent trials, such as the $78 million award in Philadelphia in October 2024.[3]
- Bayer is actively working on legislative efforts to restrict liability claims for pesticides complying with EPA labeling regulations in multiple states and Congress.[1]
- Bayer's Defense and Regulatory Action:
- Bayer continues to maintain the safety of Roundup, citing scientific endorsements and regulatory approvals.[1]
- The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans," which has led to many lawsuits.[1][2]
- There is an ongoing debate about the safety of glyphosate, with some research suggesting cancer risks and other studies contradicting these findings.[1][2]
