Environmental Pollutants
Clairton, PA
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Clairton Pollution News: Discharges from Clairton Coke Works Linked to “Mill Odor” Complaints in Surrounding South Hills Communities
The lawyers in Weitz & Luxenberg’s Environmental Litigation Unit are currently interviewing residents in Pittsburgh, PA who have been affected by cancer or other serious illnesses that have been linked to benzene and other air pollutant emissions and odors from the Clairton Coke Works. If your family has been affected, please complete the form on this page to obtain news and information about your legal options.
On December 30, 2009, residents of the South Hills neighborhoods of Dormont and Mt. Lebanon awoke to odors typically encountered by those who live or work near the coke plants, steel processing plants or steel mills that operate in the Allegheny County area.
While residents of the two communities are familiar with the sulfur-laden odor which some compare to the smell of rotten eggs, it is rare that fumes emanating from the coke or steel plants are noticeable in the area.
When the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on the air quality issue on December 31, 2009, they contacted the Allegheny County Health Department for answers.
A department spokesperson blamed the air pollution on unusual weather conditions and wind directions. Pittsburgh was affected by a temperature inversion (caused when cold air is trapped closer to the ground by warmer air higher in the atmosphere), as well as a period of slight wind conditions that caused pollutants from either the Clairton Coke Works or the Mon Valley steel mill to reach the region.
Health Risks from Environmental Air Pollution in Pittsburgh
Those who live or work in Clairton, Glassport and other areas in the Mon Valley face daily exposure to hazardous air pollutants from the Clairton Coke plant, which have caused many residents in the area to develop cancer and other serious illnesses.
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated a 2002 study of cancer risk rates for those exposed to air pollutants, including benzene and nitrates, Clairton and Glassport were found to have the highest Pennsylvania cancer risk rates, and the third and fourth highest risk rates in the entire United States.
An additional investigative study of air quality compiled by USA Today of over 127,000 of the nation’s schools reflected even more disturbing statistics. Schools in Clairton and McKees Rocks were found to be in the first percentile for risk of exposure to environmental pollutants.
Our Lawyers Are Ready to Help
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.
Complete the form on this page, and a Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.
see also:
Clairton Environmental News
Clairton Odor Complaints | Weitz & LuxenbergGet news from our lawyers about Clairton Coke Works air odor pollution
Important Documents
Clairton Air Quality News | Weitz & LuxenbergOur lawyers provide news about benzene pollution risks in Clairton, PA
