Benzene, Other Harmful Substances Released into the Air in Clairton and Glassport. Emissions from Clairton Coke Works Linked to High Rates of Cancer in Southwestern PA.

Our environmental lawyers are currently speaking with families in the Allegheny County communities of Clairton and Glassport who have been diagnosed with serious chronic health problems or forms of cancer. High concentrations of benzene, ammonia and nitrates released into the air by the Clairton Coke Works have been linked to these illnesses.

If you or a loved one lives in the Clairton or Glassport area and has been diagnosed with health problems that may be linked to poor air quality, complete the form on this page to explore your legal options.

For more than 100 years, the history of the Pittsburgh area has been linked to the steel, coal mining and coal processing industries, starting in the late 1800s when Andrew Carnegie opened the first steel facility in the Braddock area. Throughout the 20th century, steel mills and coke plants such as the Homestead Works, the Edgar Thompson Works and the coke oven plant operated by LTV all shaped the city's reputation as the Steel City many years before the Rooney family held their first Lombardi trophy.

The Clairton Coke Works is the largest coke processing facility in the nation. According to a 2007 article published in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the plant’s 816 ovens have the capacity to process over 4.7 million tons of coal each year.

However, those living or working in Clairton, Glassport, or other communities near the Clairton Coke Works facility find themselves faced with daily exposure to hazardous air pollutants from the coal processing fumes released into the air.

A 2007 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study of the area showed that the levels of benzene, ammonia and nitrates were released into the air at significantly high levels.

Benzene Exposure Linked to Serious Illnesses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long-term health effects of exposure to benzene exhaust can affect the body’s production of red blood cells and result in harmful effects on the body’s ability to produce bone marrow. In addition, it can cause excessive bleeding and affect the immune system, thereby putting those with long-term exposure to benzene pollution at risk for infectious diseases.

A National Cancer Institute study shows that Clairton and Glassport have the third and fourth highest cancer risk rates in the nation. In addition, the percentage of Allegheny County residents who develop cancer are not only higher than Pennsylvania cancer risk rates, but for those for the entire U.S.

Since long-term benzene pollution exposure is linked to blood system cancers, it is significant to note that diagnosis rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Allegheny County are 22.0 per 1 million residents, as compared to Pennsylvania (20.6 per million) and nationally (19.2 per million.).

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help Your Family
If your health, or the health of a loved one has been adversely impacted by the air pollution in your neighborhood, please contact us for a free review of your possible lawsuit.

Even if you or a family member did not work for US Steel or at the Clairton Coke Works, you have the right to seek compensation for your illness, pain and suffering and for compensation to help defray other financial obligations.

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see also:

Glassport, PA Legal Review Glassport PA Residents | Weitz & Luxenberg
Info from our lawyers: air pollution health risks in Glassport, PA

Health Risks Clairton Coke Works Cancer Legal Review | Weitz & Luxenberg
Clairton Coke Works air quality issues: Pittsburgh residents at risk

Pollution Risk Nitrates And Cancer Clairton, PA | Weitz & Luxenberg
Free consult for Mon Valley residents injured by nitrates and cancer