Exposure to PCBs in St. Louis Schools
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in old fluorescent lighting fixtures placed in several St. Louis area school buildings.
Students and workers sat beneath old fluorescent lighting fixtures for decades, not knowing that they were being exposed to PCBs for several hours a day over the course of decades.
Scientific research has indicated an increased risk for several health problems and cancers in people exposed to PCBs for extended periods of time.
If you or a loved one were exposed to PCBs in St. Louis area schools, and subsequently developed health problems or symptoms of exposure, you may be eligible to file a PCB Lawsuit claim.
Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.
You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify to file a PCB Exposure Lawsuit claim.
Our team is currently investigating the potential for PCB litigation against responsible parties, attempting to identify PCB levels in buildings, and assessing claims of people exposed to PCBs.
Contact us with any questions you may have about exposure to PCBs, possible health effects, if your or your child’s school was contaminated, and more.
Why Were PCBs Used in Fluorescent Lights?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in fluorescent lights primarily because of their electrical insulating properties and thermal stability.
These characteristics made PCBs well-suited for enhancing the performance and safety of fluorescent light ballasts, which are critical components in these lighting fixtures.
Here’s why PCBs were used in fluorescent lights:
- Electrical Insulation: PCBs are known electrical insulators, which means they can prevent electrical currents from leaking or short-circuiting. In fluorescent lighting, where the precise regulation of electrical currents is essential for proper operation, PCBs helped ensure a stable flow of electricity within the ballast.
- Thermal Stability: Fluorescent lights can generate heat during operation. PCBs have high thermal stability, allowing them to withstand elevated temperatures.
- Chemical Inertia: PCBs are chemically inert, meaning they do not readily react with other substances. This characteristic made them suitable for use in various industrial applications, including fluorescent light ballasts, where chemical stability was important.
How Does PCB Exposure from Fluorescent Lighting Occur?
Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from fluorescent lights over long periods can occur through different pathways.
While the use of PCBs in new fluorescent lights has been banned for decades, older buildings (like many schools in the St. Louis area) may have used fluorescent lighting fixtures that contained PCBs for years after their regulation.
Here’s how people can be exposed to PCBs in such environments:
- Airborne Exposure
- Dust Accumulation
- Direct Contact with Light Fixtures
1. Airborne Exposure:
PCBs may vaporize or release into the air from the ballasts inside fluorescent light fixtures, especially when these fixtures heat up during operation.
Over time, this continuous emission can lead to the presence of PCBs in the indoor air of buildings with older lighting systems.
People who spend long hours in these spaces, such as students and employees in schools or offices, may inhale these airborne PCB particles, contributing to exposure.
2. Dust Accumulation:
As PCBs are emitted into the air, they might settle on surfaces within the building.
Over time, this process can result in the accumulation of PCB-laden dust on floors, shelves, and other indoor surfaces.
Individuals who come into contact with these contaminated surfaces, particularly through hand-to-mouth contact or touching the face, can unknowingly ingest or inhale PCBs, contributing to exposure.
3. Direct Contact with Light Fixtures:
In some cases, individuals working with or near older fluorescent light fixtures may come into direct contact with the fixtures themselves.
Accidental damage to the ballasts or leaks from the fixtures can release PCBs onto the skin.
This direct skin contact can be another pathway for exposure.
PCBs and The St. Louis Metro Area
PCB contamination and PCB exposure are topics of increasing concern in the St. Louis area and Metro East.
Monsanto was the main manufacturer and producer of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the plant which produced most PCBs used in the United States is just a seven-minute drive to Downtown St. Louis.
In 2016, Monsanto was ordered to pay $46.5 million to three plaintiffs by a St. Louis jury in a PCB Lawsuit.
The Carter Carburetor Site in St. Louis was a 480,000 sq. ft. site that housed several industrial operations and used several toxic chemicals that remained at the site for decades, including PCBs.
The site was cleaned up in 2020, but remains adjacent to the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club of St. Louis.
East St. Louis and State of Illinois File Separate Lawsuits Against Monsanto For PCB Contamination
Both the City of East St. Louis and the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul have filed lawsuits against Monsanto and its affiliates, Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC, for the ongoing environmental and health effects of PCB contamination caused by Monsanto’s decades-long production of the toxic chemicals.
The Illinois Attorney General filed the lawsuit in August 2022.
East St. Louis filed in 2021, but the case was moved to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois in 2023 and is currently set for a jury trial in 2024.
The lawsuit filed by the State of Illinois alleges that Monsanto was aware of the toxicity of these chemicals but publicly denied any knowledge of their dangers, aiming to hold the companies accountable for their actions, seeking compensation for damages to natural resources and addressing statewide contamination through a public health monitoring program for PCB-related health conditions.
East St. Louis claims that the Monsanto plant violated municipal littering and nuisance ordinances, with fines of up to $750 per day, and alleges the concealing PCB dangers despite early knowledge.
PCB mixtures were produced by Monsanto at its Sauget, Illinois facility.
Sauget, designated as an EPA Superfund site, is located between East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights.
A Superfund site is a designation given to contaminated areas in the United States that are heavily polluted with hazardous substances and are considered a priority for environmental cleanup and remediation.
Sauget was incorporated literally as “Monsanto, Illinois”, and the Monsanto plant in Sauget produced 99% of the PCBs used in the United States from the 1930s until they were banned in the 1970s.
The Monsanto plant deposited PCB waste in Sauget’s toxic dumps from the 1940s to the 1980s, and also incinerated PCBs on-site after 1977.
What are Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of synthetic organic chemicals that were widely used in various industrial and commercial applications in the past.
Monsanto was the leading producer of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
PCBs were first synthesized in the late 1920s and were produced in large quantities for several decades.
The company that first produced PCBs was purchased by Monsanto in 1935, and Monsanto then sold and introduced PCBs in several industries.
PCBs consist of a group of chemical compounds made up of biphenyl rings to which chlorine atoms are attached.
The specific arrangement and number of chlorine atoms on the biphenyl rings can vary, resulting in different PCB congeners.
According to the EPA, PCB congeners are any single, unique well-defined chemical compound in the PCB category.
Due to their toxic effects on human health and the environment, the production and use of PCBs have been largely banned in many countries.
Why Were PCBs Widely Used?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were widely used for several decades primarily because of their valuable electrical and industrial properties, but it became apparent over time that they posed significant health and environmental risks.
PCBs were known as versatile chemicals with a range of industrial applications, being used for dielectric fluid to prevent sparking in electric transformers, as well as hydraulic oils in heavy machinery.
What Products May Contain Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be found in various locations and environments, with their prevalence often tied to historical use.
While PCBs have been banned or heavily restricted in many countries for several decades due to their harmful effects on health and the environment, they can still persist in older areas and materials.
PCBs can be found in:
- Older Buildings: PCBs were frequently used in construction materials like caulking and sealants, and in older fluorescent lighting fixtures in the mid-20th century. As a result, older buildings constructed before PCB regulations may still have these materials and products in place, potentially leading to indoor air contamination.
- Electrical Equipment: Although the use of PCBs in electrical transformers and capacitors has been phased out, older equipment may still contain PCBs. In some cases, improper disposal of these items has led to soil and water contamination.
- Industrial Facilities: Industries that used PCBs in their processes may have residual contamination in the soil and surrounding areas. Even if PCBs are no longer used, the legacy of past practices can pose ongoing exposure risks.
- Consumer Products: Though PCB use has decreased significantly, older consumer products like carbonless copy paper, some paints, and plastic materials may still contain trace amounts of PCBs. These products can be found in older homes or storage.
How Does Exposure to PCBs Happen?
People may be exposed to PCBs in several ways as these toxic substances have been used in several industries and products over the years.
Since being banned for use, exposure to PCBs is less common but typically occurs through inhalation of indoor air containing PCBs or through otherwise contaminated areas.
People may become exposed to PBCs through:
- Inhalation: Inhalation of PCB-contaminated air is a significant exposure pathway. This can occur in environments where PCBs are present, such as near old electrical equipment or in buildings with PCB-containing materials. Airborne PCB particles can be inhaled, leading to exposure.
- Ingestion: Eating contaminated food is a possible exposure route. PCBs can accumulate in the fatty tissues of fish, meat, and dairy products. People who eat contaminated foods or drink contaminated water may ingest PCBs.
- Skin Contact: PCBs can be absorbed through the skin, although this is generally considered a less significant exposure pathway compared to inhalation and ingestion. Direct contact with PCB-contaminated materials, such as soil or certain building materials, can lead to dermal exposure.
- Indoor Air: PCBs can be released into indoor air from PCB-containing materials, such as old caulking, sealants, or electrical equipment. Occupants of buildings with PCB-containing materials may be exposed to PCBs through indoor air inhalation.
- Breast Milk: Infants can be exposed to PCBs through breastfeeding if the mother’s body has accumulated PCBs from prior exposures. PCBs can be transferred to the infant through breast milk.
Exposure to PCBs: Possible Health Effects and Risks
Scientific research and animal studies have shown an increased risk for certain health problems subsequent to prolonged exposure to PCBs.
Potential cancers related to PCB exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Liver cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Malignant melanoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Other non-cancer potential health effects of PCB exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Reproductive issues
- Low birth weight
- Miscarriage
- Premature birth
- Developmental delays
- Neurological disorders and effects
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Brain fog
- Learning disorders
- Skin conditions
- Chloracne and related dermal lesions
- Hyperpigmentation
- Skin sloughing
- Frequent rashes
- Endocrine disorders
- Puberty abnormalities
- Other symptoms and health effects
Research on Health Effects of Exposure to PCBs
Several research studies have raised alarms at the dangers of PCB exposure and the devastating health problems potentially linked to the chemicals.
Studies on the health problems linked to PCB exposure include, but are not limited to:
When Did the Dangers of PCB Exposure Become Apparent?
The history of scientific research on the health effects of PCB exposure date back to near the time the chemicals were introduced to the industrial and commercial manufacturing world.
PCBs have been known to cause liver damage and other health problems in animals exposed since studies were conducted and published in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the 1950s, human health effects were examined in exposed workers at a plant in Indiana and also in painters exposed to PCBs in plasticized paints.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that PCBs were identified not only as a danger to industrial workers, but as a public health concern.
From the 1960s to 1970s, more research was dedicated to PCB environmental contamination and adverse effects on human health.
The federal government created an Interdepartmental Task Force on PCBs in 1971, issuing a 1972 report titled “Polychlorinated Biphenyls and the Environment“.
The report stated that:
“1) PCBs should be restricted to essential or non-replaceable uses which involve minimal direct human exposure since they can have adverse effects on human health.
2) PCBs have been used so widely over such a long period that they are ubiquitous.”
Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976, which banned the manufacture and distribution of PCBs in 1979.
Monsanto Knew of PCB Dangers
Multiple sources have reported that Monsanto knew about the dangers of PCBs for years yet continued to manufacture and sell them.
The Poison Papers Project, launched by the Bioscience Resource Project and the Center for Media and Democracy, produced more than 20,000 internal memos, meetings, letters, and other documents that showcase the fact that Monsanto knew PCBs were harmful to human health and the environment, but concealed that knowledge to profit.
Who is the PCB Lawsuit Filed Against?
Our lawyers are currently investigating litigation against companies who produced PCB containing products and commercial PCB mixtures used in school buildings.
Those who have produced or manufactured electrical equipments, fluorescent lights, and other PCB materials placed in school buildings could be potentially liable for health problems suffered by exposed workers and students.
Monsanto is the only company that manufactured and distributed polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the United States.
Monsanto halted production of PCBs in 1977.
Monsanto was acquired by Bayer for $63 billion in 2018.
Previous and Similar Litigation for PCB Exposure and PCB Contamination
Monsanto has previously faced litigation over harm caused by PCBs.
The list of active and past litigations for PCB exposure and contamination is extensive, spanning the United States court system.
Some PCB exposure and contamination litigation has been successful, awarding compensation to school districts, municipalities, governmental organizations, and individuals.
Other attempts at PCB Lawsuits have been unsuccessful and dismissed.
Previous PCB Lawsuits include:
- New York Communities for Change vs. NYC Department of Education and NYC School Construction Authority: NYC parents advocate and achieve the removal of PCB-containing fluorescent lights as part of a 2013 settlement.
- Pennsylvania vs. Monsanto, Bayer: Pennsylvania sued Monsanto in 2020 for contaminating 1,300 miles of streams and 3,600 acres of lakes with PCBs. The suit involving PCB contaminated fish and waterways was settled for over $100 million in September 2023.
- Students and Parents of Monroe School District vs. Monsanto, Bayer: Legal action over PCB exposure in a Seattle area school has resulted in over $600 million in jury verdicts as of 2022.
- Students and Parents vs. Monroe School District: The school district mentioned in the above case also paid out $34 million in 2022 to parents of students exposed to PCBs at Sky Valley Education Center.
- Vermont School Districts vs. Monsanto, Bayer: After becoming the first state to require older schools to test indoor air for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), over 90 Vermont school districts are filing suit against Monsanto for cost recovery and damages.
- Residents of Lee, MA vs. Monsanto, Bayer: In 2023, residents sued Monsanto for contamination of Housatonic River for health effects related to toxic exposure.
- Crystal Czerno vs. General Electric Co., Bayer, Monsanto: In 2023, a Pittsfield, Massachusetts mother sued for her son’s leukemia diagnosis allegedly due to exposure at Allendale Elementary School, which is nearby a PCB disposal site.
- Government Entities vs. Monsanto, Bayer: Over 2,000 government entities across the country filed a class action lawsuit against Bayer for PCB pollution, resulting in a $537.5 million settlement in 2022.
- City of Los Angeles vs. Monsanto, Bayer, Solutia, Pharmacia: In 2022, he City of Los Angeles filed suit against Monsanto and two of its subsidiaries for polluting multiple waterways with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
- Westinghouse workers vs. Monsanto, Westinghouse: Lawsuits filed against Monsanto and Westinghouse in the early 1990s claim that thousands of workers were exposed to PCBs and after years developed liver cancer, bladder cancer, and other devastating health effects. Westinghouse workers were exposed to PCB capacitors and electrical devices in their work.
- Residents of West Anniston, AL vs. Monsanto, Solutia: Residents exposed to PCBs through manufacturing and improper disposal of toxic substances were awarded a $700 million settlement in 2003.
- Plaintiffs vs. Monsanto: A St. Louis jury ordered Monsanto and three of its subsidiaries to pay $46 million to individuals who alleged that exposure to PCBs caused their Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The verdict occurred in 2016.
Do You Qualify for a PCB Exposure Lawsuit Claim?
Exposure to PCBs in St. Louis schools is a concerning matter, and our attorneys are investigating possible legal action to hold responsible parties accountable for putting public health at risk.
PCB exposure has been linked to numerous adverse health effects, including several cancer types and other health problems.
These health effects include, but are not limited to, developmental deficits, endocrine effects, liver damage, reproductive effects, and more.
If you or a loved one were exposed to PCBs in St. Louis area schools, you may be eligible to file a PCB Lawsuit claim.
Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.
You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for a PCB Lawsuit claim instantly.
Experienced lawyers will help clients through every step of the legal process, including the vital tasks of gathering evidence and assessing damages.
Gathering Evidence for PCB Lawsuit Claims
Evidence is important in any legal claim, especially one that calls into question the potential toxic effects of chemicals present in school buildings.
Your PCB Lawyers will help you gather and retain evidence, but this is a step you can begin on your own.
Potential evidence in a PCB Exposure Lawsuit claim may include:
- Medical records
- Medical test for related diagnoses
- Proof you or your loved one attended a school with PCB contamination
- Employment records
- Personal testimony
- Witness testimony
- Any other proof of exposure to PCBs and subsequent health effects
Contact the PCB Lawyers at TorHoerman Law with any questions or concerns you may have regarding evidence in your PCB Lawsuit claim.
Assessing Damages for PCB Lawsuit Claims
Damages refer to the total amount of losses, economic and non-economic, incurred as a result of toxic exposure.
Your attorneys will help you determine and calculate your damages.
Potential damages in a PCB Lawsuit claim may include:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Permanent disability
- Lost quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damages
- Other compensatory and punitive damages
The potential effects of exposure to PCBs and subsequent health problems can be far-reaching for victims.
Our attorneys will work closely with you to understand your claim and help guide you in the right direction.
Reach out to us for more information.
TorHoerman Law: Your St. Louis PCB Exposure Lawyer
PCBs are toxic substances that have been used in electrical equipment and lighting ballasts installed in St. Louis area schools.
Exposure to PCBs affect human health, and are linked to an increased risk for liver damage, liver cancer, immune system effects, endocrine effects, reproductive issues, neurological disorders, skin disorders, cancers, and more.
If you or a loved one have been exposed to PCBs in St. Louis area schools, and subsequently developed health problems, you may be eligible to file a PCB Lawsuit claim.
Contact the PCB Lawyers at TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.
You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for a PCB Lawsuit claim instantly.
The legal team at TorHoerman Law is currently investigating potential litigation on behalf of individuals exposed to PCBs.
Reach out to us with any questions you might have about the PCB Lawsuit investigation.
We’re here to help you.
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