We regard companies that knowingly introduce toxic substances into the environment as perpetrators of a crime against our children. Here are some of the biggest and most powerful chemical companies whose record of deeds and misdeeds are on the public record.
1960s to now:
637,000 pounds of toxics released per year in 1960s, to 4.4 billion pounds released from industry facilities today.
General Electric was one of the two U.S. companies that made the greatest use of PCBs in its manufacturing. Over the years, the company buried tons of PCBs on its huge site in Pittsfield, MA, and also released the chemicals into the river near their plant, which then spread throughout the town, and into the Housatonic River. They also gave tons of PCB-contaminated soil to town residents. A small mountain of PCB-contaminated waste lies right behind an elementary school.
GE similarly polluted the Hudson River with PCBs. Internal company documents indicate that GE, despite protesting no harm occurred, was aware for many years that its dumping of PCBs might cause health problems and liabilities for the company.