Louisville, KY: (Aug-25-07) Rubbertown residents filed a class action suit against Zeon Chemicals, alleging that the chemical plant caused a nuisance by contributing to high levels of pollution and contamination as well as resulted in property damage. The suit alleged the company had denied plaintiffs full use and enjoyment of their properties.
In a settlement reached, sources state that about 1,000 of Zeon's closest neighbors could eventually be paid between $1,200 and $1,800 as part of the overall $5.3 million settlement. US District Court Judge John G. Heyburn II filed the settlement documents, stating that though the suit covers several thousand people who live within two miles, only those within a half-mile would receive payments. The bulk of the money would go toward new pollution controls, according to the tentative agreement. The settlement would require the company to install a thermal oxidizer to reduce its emissions of 1,3-butadiene, a cancer-causing chemical. Zeon also agreed to reduce emissions of two other potentially harmful chemicals, styrene and acrylonitrile, by either moving production of a latex product to an unidentified location, or making capital improvements in the facility. [COURIER JOURNAL: LATEX POLLUTION]
