Update: The company responsible for the testing and cleanup is Perkin Elmer of Waltham, Mass., according to KMOV. The company disputes that TCE has contaminated groundwater, however they have been unable to show where they’ve tested or how they informed residents. The Firm is continuing its investigation to ensure residents’ legal rights are protected.
Update: As reported by KMOV, the Firm recently met with neighborhood residents in Elmwood Park.
A 20 year-old chemical spill in a St. Louis neighborhood has resulted in increased levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical known to cause chronic disease and cancer. St. Louis County officials held a meeting on Thursday night for Elmwood Park residents.
According to various news reports, the industrial chemical spill occurred in 1988 at a metal facility in Overland and contaminated groundwater in Elmwood Park, located in St. Louis County. EG&G Missouri Metal Shaping operated the plant at the time of the spill. Missouri Metals LLC currently occupies the building. Residents said this is the first they have heard of the elevated levels.
From today’s Post-Dispatch:
Tests by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources showed three occupied homes owned by the Housing Authority of St. Louis County had elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a liquid solvent used as a degreaser at the plant. The chemical contaminated the local groundwater, then evaporated in the ground, causing harmful vapors to seep into basements, environmental officials said. Company efforts to contain the chemicals evidently failed, they said.
The Missouri DNR and the EPA are expected to conduct additional testing over the next few weeks.
The Firm is currently investigating the elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) in Elmwood Park and the surrounding area. If you believe your property has been damaged or you have suffered an illness due to the environmental contamination, please Contact Us today for a free legal consultation at 1-855-264-6270. It is our goal to help local residents protect their legal rights.
