WASHINGTON - A Washington state court has ruled that Monsanto (NYSE:MON) must pay $165 million to staff members of Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe who suffered from illnesses caused by PCB contamination. The substantial award, announced today, comprises $50 million in compensatory damages and an additional $115 million in punitive damages.
The verdict is a significant addition to Monsanto's mounting liabilities, which now total nearly $870 million for similar PCB exposure cases at the education center. Despite Monsanto's assertions that they ceased production of PCBs before the U.S. ban in 1979 and had warned about necessary school upgrades, the jury held the company responsible for the health issues experienced by six teachers and one custodian, including cancers and neurological damage.
Jurors found that Monsanto sold PCB products knowing the potential health risks they posed. The company's defense highlighted that it had stopped producing PCBs two years prior to their prohibition due to cancer concerns and had informed the school about the need for lighting fixture upgrades—advice that was reportedly not heeded since the 1990s.
Although Pharmacia was also named as a defendant in this case, legal agreements stipulate that Monsanto will cover all financial responsibilities related to claims arising from their historical chemical productions. This decision underscores the continued legal challenges faced by Monsanto regarding past product liabilities and their long-term health implications.
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