Exposure to dangerous substances can have catastrophic consequences for innocent victims who may not even be aware that they are at risk of exposure. These dangerous substances can include a chemical known as benzene, and benzene exposure can lead to serious injuries and—in the worst of cases—even death. This is one reason that the State of Missouri takes potential benzene exposure so seriously. In fact, last year Missouri’s state attorney general took steps to hold a waste management company responsible for potential benzene release.
Attorney General Chris Koster accused that waste management company, Republic Services, of releasing benzene into the air in the vicinity of the Bridgeton Landfill in the summer of 2014. He maintained that extreme amounts of benzene had been registered at the Bridgeton Landfill over one weekend last year. At that point, Koster filed papers requesting an injunction against Republic Services, the owner of the Landfill, intended to force the company to take more drastic efforts measures in managing the landfill appropriately.
Koster released a statement at the time that stated that Republic’s alleged release of benzene at the Bridgeton Landfill premises was unacceptable. Republic had reportedly agreed to take steps to effectively manage the Bridgeton Landfill over a year before Koster’s injunction was filed. Koster’s statement expressed the opinion that Republic had failed in that promise and asked that a judge require Republic to enact further measures to make sure that benzene and other hazardous materials will not be released into the environment.
Benzene exposure can cause various types of health issues; the most serious of which is typically cancer. Koster’s injunction would require Republic to perform more work in an effort to contain rather than release hazardous materials. Republic would also be required to conduct more odor control, testing of air, and improve its monitoring of the landfill’s stability. Additionally, Attorney General Koster also requested that Republic be required to pay the state back a higher level of costs associated with monitoring the landfill than the waste management company had previous agreed to pay. This was apparently because the state had incurred a higher level of costs than anticipated.
As many Missouri and Illinois residents unfortunately enough, the costs caused by benzene exposure can also be high for individuals in addition to state governments. In the most serious of cases, lives can be lost due to the release of dangerous substances like benzene. Fortunately, personal injury and wrongful death laws provide injured victims the chance to seek financial restitution in a civil court of law. Please call our toxic tort law firm as soon as possible at 1-888-586-7041 in order to discuss your case and rights under the law. We take pride in helping clients obtain the financial restitution that they deserve..
Disclaimer: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.