Monsanto Ordered to Pay $857 Million in PCB Case

Former students and parent volunteers at a Washington state school claimed exposure to Monsanto's chemicals caused health problems, including brain damage and autoimmune disorders.

• Monsanto has been ordered to pay $857 million to a group of seven former students and parent volunteers at a Washington state school who claimed the company's chemicals sickened them.
• The former students and parent volunteers claimed that exposure to Monsanto's polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, from fluorescent light fixtures caused a host of health problems, including brain damage and autoimmune disorders.
• The jury ordered the firm to pay a total of $73 million compensation and $784 million in punitive damages to the five former students and two parent volunteers at the Sky Valley Education Center, which is located north of Seattle.
• Monsanto said it disagreed with the verdict and plans to appeal 'to reduce the constitutionally excessive damages awarded.'
• Monsanto is facing additional lawsuits over PCBs, including one from the state of Vermont which alleged the chemical company knew its PCB formulations were toxic and could cause harm in humans.

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