Dupont And Newark Agree To Settle Pollution Lawsuit

Dupont, one of the world’s largest chemical manufacturers, has decided to settle a lawsuit with the City of Newark, agreeing to undertake cleanup actions and pay the city $108,000 to hire an environmental expert to oversee the process.

In the lawsuit, city officials had alleged that Dupont left behind toxic chemicals and pollutants at a former pigment factory in the City’s Ironbound neighborhood.

According to a statement from city officials in March, DuPont Co. and others made significant profits at the property, but in the process “seriously contaminated the land and water, risking the health of Newark residents.”

The property is located two blocks from a residential neighborhood.

Contaminants allegedly left behind include carcinogens such as hexavalent chromium, and toxins like lead and arsenic. In some areas, these contaminants reportedly registered at levels that are several thousand times higher than legal limits, according to city officials.

• See related article: Newark Files Lawsuit Against DuPont, Heubach and Cooks