Environmental Pollutants
Paw Paw
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PAW PAW CANCER
Soil contamination threatens Michigan village groundwater
supply with toxins that cause cancer
Chemicals linked to cancer have been detected in the Paw Paw, Mich., groundwater supply, infuriating local residents and spurring calls for legal action.
July 7, 2009 -- For two decades, a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Paw Paw, Mich., discharged its waste water into town soil. Today, nearby groundwater used for drinking is showing signs of contamination, including arsenic, lead, iron and manganese.
If your property in Paw Paw has been affected, or you are concerned about the threat of cancer in your local groundwater, seek restitution through the personal injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg, long recognized for obtaining record-breaking verdicts and settlements. The firm’s environmental lawyers will provide free consultations for residents via the communication form on this page.
Paw Paw cancer threat
Paw Paw is a village with a population of approximately 3,400 residents, located in the southwestern part of Michigan on Interstate 94, approximately 20 miles west of Kalamazoo. Home owners who have already been affected live near the source of the contamination – Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid plant on Red Arrow Highway. At least two dozen properties are already known to be affected.
When residents in Paw Paw realized the toxins in the soil can cause cancer, they contacted nationally recognized environmental activist Erin Brockovich and asked her to help. Brockovich and her chief environmental investigator, Robert Bowcock, organized a meeting to advise concerned residents.
Bowcock disclosed that in addition to the heavy metals being detected in groundwater, a common food additive that is also used at the Coca-Cola plant as a cleaning agent (EDTA) was detected in one of the village wells. Bowcock said this is a major concern because, “If EDTA is in the water, you can’t get an accurate testing for metal levels. Concentrations may be greater than tests indicate because the EDTA is masking the levels.”
Brockovich endorses Weitz & Luxenberg
Brockovich advised residents to seek legal recourse through the acclaimed environmental law firm she trusts: Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. Brockovich told individuals interested in seeking legal action and compensation to fill out a questionnaire, like the one on this page.
Erin Brockovich is recognized for her investigative work in a successful lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in California that resulted in a $333 million settlement. Her experience in that case inspired a popular movie bearing her name and starring Julia Roberts. Brockovich is a member of the accomplished environmental legal team at Weitz & Luxenberg.
Please know, Weitz & Luxenberg works on a contingency basis, so there is no legal cost to you until we obtain a verdict or settlement in your favor.
If you are a resident of Paw Paw, Mich., and the town’s current groundwater contamination problem has impacted your family’s life, the environmental lawyers at Weitz & Luxenberg will provide a free case review via the communication form on this page.
You can also attending our special town meeting at Paw Paw High School, 30609 E. Red Arrow Highway, Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 7 p.m. The firm’s local Michigan counsel will be on hand to provide residents with all the latest developments on the soil pollution problem and to advise them about their legal options.
see also:
Contamination
Paw Paw, Mich. soil contamination threatens water and property valuesSoil contamination affecting water and property values in Paw Paw, MI
Background
Environmentalist Erin Brockovich organizes Paw Paw, Mich. town meetingPaw Paw, MI, residents summon Weitz & Luxenberg's Brockovich for help
