PCB Contamination Timeline
for Monroe County, Indiana
1957
Westinghouse Electric Corp. opens new plant to manufacture
capacitorscontaining PCBs produced by Monsanto Corp.
1958-1974
PCB-laden wastes dumped by Westinghouse at landfills in Monroe and
Owencounties. Pollution spread by the salvaging of capacitors for their
scrapcopper, free city distribu tion of sewage sludge, and the random
dumpingby independent haulers.
1975
Westinghouse advises city of "minimal" discharge of PCBs
intocity sewers. City finds PCBs in sewage at Winston-Thomas water
treatmentplant and threatens to initiate legal proceedings.
1976
EPA finds PCBs in leachate from area landfills, in runoff from the
Westinghouseplant and in the city's waste treatment plant.
State Board of Health and Department of Natural Resources warn againstthe
eating of fish from area creeks. City Utility Service Board hearingson sewer
discharge packed by Westinghouse workers concerned about theirjobs.
Indiana Environmental Management Board begins hearings on PCB
contaminationin Bloomington.
Local chapters of national environmental groups form an umbrella
organization(CCAP) to press their concerns over the issue.
1977
Westinghouse completes year-long phaseout of PCB use in compacitor
manufacturing,but local retirement of existing compacitors continues.
Inconclusive EMB hearings are cancelled. City and Westin ghouse begineight
years of out-of-court negotiations. Public interest in the PCB issuewanes as
closed-door dis cussions drag on without resolution.
1978
The Center for Disease Control releases a report that con firms
thatBloomington residents are among the nation's twelfth highest among
U.S.cities in terms of PCB concentrations in blood and tissue.
1979
EPA allows utilities to retain PCB-insulated equipment for the life ofthe
equipment out of cost concerns.
EPA prevents city from opening a new sewage treatment plant since
Westinghousehad not yet complied with PCB discharge requirements.
City flushes PCBs from its sewer lines, the cheapest avail able
option.1980 City hires Chicago attomey Joseph Karaganis to negotiate a
settlementwith Westinghouse over PCB contamination of sewers and the waste
treatmentplant.
New sewer lines allow Westinghouse to reduce PCB discharge so that thecity
can operate its new Dillman Road treatment plant.
1981
EPA orders Westinghouse and the property owners to clean up Neal's Dumpand
Neal's Landfill.
City sues Westinghouse for $ 149 million after settlement talks
breakdownand later, seeks $329 million when it is determined that City-owned
LemonLane landfill is also contaminated.Neal's landfill and Lemon Lane
includedon EPA national priority list of 114 worst U.S. dumps under
"Superfund"law.
1983
State Attorney General Pearson urges reconvening EMB hearings, but asuit
by Westinghouse brings a court ruling that disallows use of all
previouslycollected evidence.
EPA and state sue Westinghouse and force corporation to clean up
thesurface of the two Neal sites. City, state, and EPA consolidate their
suits.
PCBs discovered at Bennett's Quarry, and the EPA perform a surface
cleanupand fences off both Lemon Lane and Bennett's.
City and Westinghouse announce agreement in whichgovernment and
industrywill cooperate to resolve the PCBissue through the construction of a
trash-fueledhazardouswaste incinerator.
Citizens Concerned about PCBs reforms after years of inactivity and
combineswith INPIRG and other new groupsthat emerge in opposition to the
agreement.
Westinghouse purchases O'Connor Combuster, a Califomiaincinerator
company,and enters the pollution abatementand municipal waste-to-energy
market.
Former Westinghouse workers begin filing suit against theelectric
companyclaiming severe adverse health effects dueto negligence.
1984
Protests of closed-door meetings between city of ficials andattorneysover
the status of the negotiations.
Toxic Waste Information Network opens office indowntown area and
becomescenter for environmental activists who uncover hundreds of
unidentifiedcontaminated sites.
City Chemist fired after dispute over city's PCB testingpolicy and
hiscriticism of the cleanup plan.
EPA removes capacitors from Fell Iron and Metal Com-pany property.
City, county, state, EPA, and Westinghouse release the con-sent decreeand
the stormy hearings on the agreement begin.1985 City sponsors sevenworkshops
on cleanup agreement, butcan develop little open public support.
City Council approves agreement despite a massive petitiondrive and
the"capture" of the council chambers by opponents. The state,
county,and USB also vote full approvalshortly thereafter.
U.S. District Judge Dillin approves the Decree, making it
anenforceablecourt order, denies INPIRG standing.
Opposition creates Monroe County Environmental Coalition, mounts a
publicrelations offensive and hires attorneyto represent PCB victims.
1986
Westinghouse files for incinerator permits, and city hire consultantsto
review these plans.
Temporary waste storage accepted by USB at Winston-Thomas site.
Eighth District Congressman McCloskey calls for Congressional Officeof
Technology Assessment study. OTA reportcalls incineration plan novelbut
unproven and censuresprocess.
1987
Westinghouse releases its risk assessment and CDC. State Board of Health begins
PCB exposure and health study of county residents.
EPA threatens emergency cleanup if work on project does not begin.
Westinghouse begins excavating contaminated soil, hydrovacuuming creeks, and
moving capacitors to the temporary storage facility.
Westinghouse sues its insurers for defense against pending claims at
74hazardous sites in 23 states.
Judge Dillon refuses to hear city suit against Monsanto, claiming the Consent
Decree has resolved the issue, and prevents county prosecuter from persuing
criminal actions against Westinghouse.
Local election dominated by issue as anti-incinerator forces contest the primaries
and field independant candidacies for the November race.
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