Monsanto Ordered To Cough Up

27/02/2002 03:58 PM
IRN

Genetic engineering giant Monsanto has been told it must settle thousands of outstanding
health claims after being found guilty of poisoning a small US town for decades. 

Jurors last week decided Monsanto and its subsidiary companies were responsible for the
pollution in 17 representative cases filed by residents of the Alabama town of Anniston. 

They claim the pollution from cancer-causing PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, damaged 
their property and endangered their health. 

The chemicals were produced mainly for use in electrical transformers for four decades up
until the 1970s, when they were banned in the US. 

Now Circuit Judge Joel Laird has ordered nine top Monsanto executives to attend a meeting
with lawyers this weekend to discuss settling around 3,500 cases and avoid more lengthy
trials. 

Another 15,000 people are reportedly suing in a federal court. 

The guilty verdict could mean Monsanto will have to pay out millions of dollars in
compensation.