Over the past few years, cleanup of a former plant used for coal-gasification has been ongoing in an Illinois town. The environmental cleanup project is being conducted under the watchful eye of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Reports indicate that debris, groundwater, and soil were contaminated by coal tar and similar compounds decades ago. The cleanup is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $14 million.
The Environmental Cleanup
A company based in Houston, Texas is conducting the cleanup on behalf of Ameren Illinois. Ameren now owns a substation on a portion of the 3-acre area that is subject to the cleanup. The company is subsidizing payment for the cleanup by charging an environmental activities fee on customer bills for natural gas and electricity. Several air monitoring stations regularly measure the airborne levels of substances, such as benzene, hydrocarbons, and naphthalene. Some may be relieved to hear that monitoring of the levels of harmful substances of this site has been within allowable levels since at least January 2014.
Benzene Exposure Lawsuits
Unfortunately, however, that doesn’t mean that many people weren’t harmed by dangerous levels of benzene and other chemicals before that time. It can take a long time after initial periods of exposure for victims to suffer symptoms that are significant enough for them to seek medical treatment. This does not, however, prevent them from seeking financial restitution by filing a civil lawsuit. Personal injury and wrongful death laws typically allow people to file suit based upon the time when they found out that their illness was likely caused by a specific source.
Experienced Benzene Exposure Attorney
The Dysart Law Firm P.C. is committed to helping those who have been injured due to toxic chemical exposure. Our firm has gone against some of the world’s largest corporations to obtain compensation for victims of corporate negligence. If you or a loved one have been injured due to toxic chemical exposure contact us at 888.586.7041.