Former Owner of Polluted Property Agrees to $3 Million Settlement
By Christy Burns
Published on February 21, 2007
The Stepan Company is one of the leading makers of the chemicals used in cleaning solvents and fluids. Although the company sold the Wilmington property to Olin Chemical Corp. in 1980, the lawsuit alleged that the groundwater contamination occurred in the late 1970s.
No longer in operation, the plant was declared a federal Superfund site last year. At this time, environmental damage and pollution is still being discovered across the Wilmington area. Although officials have yet to pinpoint the exact cause the problem, state health data indicates that the community is part of a possible cancer cluster.
The Stepan Company is the first to settle personal injury suits with residents. One of the conditions of the settlement agreement is that the firm does not have to admit any liability. Olin Corp. is currently under investigation for its possible contribution to the contamination.
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