Missouri Lawsuit Says PCB Exposure Caused Multiple Plaintiffs’ Blood Cancers

ST. LOUIS — Residents of several states have filed a lawsuit in Missouri, alleging that they developed blood cancer as a result of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls.

The complaint, originally filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court, accuses Monsanto Co. and several of its predecessor companies of exposing the plaintiffs to PCBs that were last manufactured and used decades ago, but remain in the environment and in food sources.

Monsanto’s production of PCBs dates back to the mid-1930s, when it merged with Swann Chemical Co., and continued until Congress banned the chemical compound in 1977. During that time, Monsanto …