Arkansas says it has secured at least $32 million and could receive up to $80 million from Monsanto over toxic chemical contamination claims.
The money, the state says, must be used to protect water quality after years of alleged damage tied to industrial chemicals that stayed in use for decades before they were banned.
Here's what to know
According to the Arkansas Advocate, Attorney General Tim Griffin said Arkansas reached a deal with Monsanto and related companies Pharmacia LLC and Solutia, Inc. to resolve claims that Monsanto-made PCBs polluted the state's environment.
Griffin said Arkansas could collect anywhere from $32 million to $80 million, with the final amount hinging on separate litigation, and that the settlement funds are restricted and must be used for water-quality purposes.
Before they were banned in 1979, polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were commonly used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment. When those chemicals enter waterways, they have been linked to harmful effects on both aquatic life and humans.
"Although the company stopped manufacturing PCBs in the late 1970s, before the federal government banned them in 1979, Monsanto's PCBs had been in circulation for nearly half a century," Griffin said.
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"I am pleased that this case is resolved and that Monsanto is doing right by Arkansans," he said in a news release.
More background
According to the Arkansas Advocate, Monsanto was the only U.S. manufacturer of PCBs from the 1930s into the 1970s, so the chemicals were part of American industry for decades before the federal ban took effect.
Arkansas was not alone in reaching this kind of deal. Baron & Budd, a Dallas law firm, said that Arizona, Hawai'i, and Mississippi also reached settlements, adding to similar agreements announced in other states.
What's being done?
Arkansas designates any settlement money it receives for water-quality work.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at similar battles over toxic chemicals in water supplies and who pays to clean them up. They cover major settlements, lawsuits, and cleanup efforts involving PFAS and other persistent pollutants.
• New Jersey secured a historic settlement over toxic water contamination tied to 3M.
• Chemours, DuPont, and Corteva agreed to a $1.2 billion settlement over contaminated water sources nationwide.
• Water treatment agencies are pressing major companies over widespread toxic contamination they say is costly to remove.
• Santa Clara County officials filed a lawsuit against chemical companies over harmful substances in water.
• Maine built a first-of-its-kind plant to remove toxic chemicals from sewage sludge.
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