Pollutants
Many different pollutants have been identified in Dead Creek, and there are probably many more pollutants yet to be confirmed. Ever since the early 1900s, when Monsanto was established, Dead Creek was vulnerable to the hundreds of industrial pollutants created in the vicinity.
Many Pollutants in Dead Creek
Over the years, many pollutants have been dumped into the waterways, soil and air in the Dead Creek area. The most widely known and understood among these pollutants are:
- Dioxins — highly toxic chemicals that are by-products of incineration and some industrial processes that use chlorine. Dioxins "bioaccumulate" in humans and animals, and they cause birth defects, genetic mutations, and (it is suspected) cancer.
- Dibenzofurans — toxic solids created from the production of coal tar, PVC (polyvinyl chloride, a commonly used plastic) and as a by-product of incineration and some industrial processes that use chlorine. Dibenzofurans can be used in insecticides.
- PCBs — Polychlorinated biphenyls formed by chlorination of biphenyl with chlorine gas. The PCBs in Dead Creek, Borrow Pit Lake and the Sauget/Cahokia area remain a very serious threat as probable carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
- Benzene — a known carcinogen, benzene is a highly flammable liquid that is a natural constituent of crude oil. Benzene is also used in the production of plastics and synthetic rubber, among many other products.
- Creosote — Coal tar creosote is used in insecticides and as a preservative for wood. Its uses are banned in many countries because it is a probable carcinogen.
- Arsenic — an extremely poisonous element, used in insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides.
- Agent Orange — a defoliant and herbicide manufactured in the area. The production of Agent Orange also produced a dioxin ingredient that is classified as a human carcinogen linked to:
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Hodgkin's disease
- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- soft-tissue sarcoma
The Health Risks of Industrial Pollutants
The health risks of the industrial pollutants listed above are very serious. They include:
- leukemia
- MDS (myelodysplatic syndrome)
- multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- liver, gall bladder and biliary tract
- brain cancer
- pancreatic cancer
- kidney cancer
- breast cancer
- soft tissue sarcoma
If you live in the Sauget area and a diagnosis of any of these diseases has befallen you or a member of your family, contact Saville & Flint today to schedule a discussion of your circumstances. We understand the damages caused by the pollutants dumped in and around Dead Creek and would like to help you. Call us today and tell us your story.
All consultations are complimentary and there is no fee unless a settlement or court award is recovered.
The Illinois Department of Public Health found areas around Dead Creek from Sauget into Cahokia to pose a “public health hazard.” If you or a loved one lived in Sauget, grew up/played in Dead Creek, or ate fish caught from Borrow Pit Lake and have suffered any adverse side effects, you may have a claim.
At Saville & Flint we understand the trauma and devastation caused by the pollution at Dead Creek. We are committed to helping injured families recover compensation for physical, emotional and financial losses incurred as a result of toxic exposure.