Stuck In A 'Dying Community'

A successful lawsuit over 20 years of contamination of Anniston, Alabama, results in a wave of anger among residents who feel cheated and abandoned.

1 minute read

April 13, 2004, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Finally, someone was interested in Anniston's west end, a poor neighborhood where for decades toxic chemicals had leaked into the soil... It is a painful twist in a saga that has attracted national attention because of the gravity of the contamination, and because its victims were not warned of the risks until the mid-1990s, more than 20 years after the dangers of PCBs were known. The chemicals are thought to cause cancer and have adverse effects on immune, reproductive and nervous systems... The announcement ended with a punch line: Once the lawyers and other expenses are paid, the awards for each of the Anniston plaintiffs will average $7,725, though some will receive more if their health damages are shown to be greater."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, April 12, 2004 in The Los Angeles Times

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