An African American Community and The PCB Contamination In Anniston, Alabama: An Environmental Justice Case Study

The Monsanto Company produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for an estimate of 40 years, and they discharged toxic waste into a West Anniston Creek and dumped millions of pounds of PCBs into open-pit landfills. The Anniston community is saturated with toxic, probable human cancer-causing chemicals that have been found in the dirt, water, air, food, and blood of residents. The federal government failed the residents in Anniston, Alabama. Governmental officials and Monsanto/Solutia deceived the residents. SweetValley/Cobbtown Community in West Anniston, Alabama and other communities of color share an unfair burden of exposure to environmental contamination. The Monsanto/Solutia landfills contaminated the West Anniston community (soil, water, and air) with PCBs, causing the community to be exposed to environmentally caused health risks. Through personal interviews and secondary data, this case study establishes a linkage between environmental contamination and residential knowledge and response to environmental change.