One Company's Toxic Legacy

Velsicol Chemical on the banks of the Pine River in St. Louis, Michigan. The chemical plant closed in 1978. The plant was later buried on site -- buildings, contamination and all -- after an agreement with the EPA and the State of Michigan. — Velsicol Chemical on the banks of the Pine River in St. Louis, Michigan. The chemical plant closed in 1978. The plant was later buried - on site - buildings, contamination and all - after an agreement with the EPA and the State of Michigan.

A lot of people remember the PBB tragedy in Michigan. That's when Velsicol Chemical (formerly Michigan Chemical) and the Michigan Farm Bureau accidentally contaminated the state’s food supply in the 1970s.

The legacy of the now defunct company's practices are still with us today.

The company made more than just PBB, and it left these toxic chemicals behind in St. Louis, Michigan. It's up to us, the taxpayers, to try to clean up what the company left behind.

Scroll below to see all our reports in special series.

One Company’s Toxic Legacy

Environment & Climate Change

Birds are dying in central Michigan from decades-old DDT pollution

Mark Brush

All this week we're bringing you stories about the chemical company responsible for the PBB tragedy in Michigan. Michigan Chemical accidentally…
Environment & Climate Change

Researchers find serious health effects from toxic PBB mix-up in Michigan

Rebecca Williams

More than 40 years ago, Michigan’s food supply was contaminated. People’s health is being affected, even now.All this week, we’re looking at the ripple…