UNITED STATES-TANNERY SCANDAL.
Cameron , Mo. - After receiving several tips of possible suits to be filed against a St. Joseph tannery for their use of harmful chemicals in topsoil applications, Erin Brockovich confirmed those rumors during an exclusive Wednesday morning interview stating they were all in correlation to Cameron’s recent tumor investigation. Within the hour multiple cases against St. Joseph ’s Prime Tanning Corp., National Beef Leathers and Rick Ream of St. Joseph the group were made public via Case.net.
"That is true," Erin stated in the phone conversation with the Citizen-Observer. "Agencies are continually ruling out causes in places like the Rockwool Facility and they are just digging in the wrong areas. We have done testing on other areas. We have received tips, gone out into fields and tested the soil, we have gotten results back and the top soil of these farms is all bogged down with hexavalent chromium."
Brockovich went on to explain that the tanning company produces a sludge byproduct heavily laden with chromium six which has been trucked for years into the Cameron area. The byproduct was routinely applied as top soil on farms. She stated that there are multiple farms in the area which are affected by this procedure.
Bob Bowvock, a Field Environmental Investigator working with Brockovich, confirmed that over 50 farms have been identified throughout both DeKalb and Clinton counties which have been affected. And, he says, the practice of this sludge-byproduct topsoil application has taken place consistently for over 25 years on these farms.
"We are looking at the airborne scenario," said Brockovich. "Chromium six is a complex chemical with water and how it is carried. Chromium six is quite dangerous, as everyone knows, by inhalation."
Bowvock went on to state that they have found lung cancer cases, respiratory problems, chronic bronchitis issues and things like that which ultimately turn into cancer.
"We definitely have lung cancer as well as the brain cancers," said Bowvock. "There is just a litany of illnesses here."
Bowvock credits the law firm of Wagstaff and Cartmell with the success of this investigation.
"In working with their clients, they were just not convinced that something wasn’t wrong in Cameron. They were persistently investigating. By using paralegals in their office they began to look into environmental issues in the community. They discovered the land application process and then contacted our office to ask if sludge from a tannery cause a problem. And, tanneries are probably the largest user of pure chrome six in the industry world."
Both Brockovich and Bowvock urge that the next and most important step of the process now is to get the tanning company to immediately stop production.
"They need to stop," said Brockovich. "They need to stop now."
"The thought process of the use of land application process was probably the worst decision they ever made," said Bowvock. "And it is certainly contrary to the industry practices. The plan is to get them to stop land applying, find out where [the chemical] is, get it cleaned up and work with compensating the injured parties."
Brockovich and Bowvock will be speaking to concerned citizens about their discovery of the dangerous chemical, the ongoing investigation and what residents can do to help themselves at an open public forum this evening, Wednesday, April 22, at 6:30 p.m. The event will take place at Goodrich Auditorium.
