4-23 news: Lawsuits filed against National Beef tanning subsidiary
The tannery has delivered sludge to counties in Missouri for use as fertilizer. The lawsuit alleges that the sludge has nigh levels of hexavalent chromium, a chemical used to remove hair from hides during the tanning process, according to the Kansas City Business Journal. The chemical is also a known carcinogen.
The lawsuits were filed by William Kemper, whose wife died of complications from a brain tumor in 2008, and by Janet Lasher, who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Erin Brockovich, a noted environmental activist, assisted with the lawsuits.