The Devil’s Dozen, Part 3

This article is a continuation of two previous articles of the same name, published on 02 and 05 January, and strives to call attention to some of the most deadly products that Monsanto has brought or aided in bringing to market and most of which they still continue to support to this day.

Dioxin

What is it? – Dioxins are “a highly toxic compound produced as a byproduct in some manufacturing processes, notably herbicide production and paper bleaching. It is a serious and persistent environmental pollutant.” Monsanto found itself promoting dioxin in 1945 when it started pushing the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture. Dioxins are arguably most deadly for their ability to bioaccumulate in the food chain. This means that as they are consumed by humans or animals, they accumulate in the various tissues, and the rate of intake far exceeds the rate of excretion or metabolic transformation. An EPA report has confirmed that dioxins are a carcinogen to people. Dioxins are primarily found in dairy products and meat due to how integrated they have become throughout the food chain.

Agent Orange

What Is It? – A defoliant and an herbicide that was principally used as a method of chemical warfare during parts of the Vietnam War (mainly 1961 – 1971). The Monsanto corporation just so happened to be one of the two leading manufacturers of this weaponized lethal chemical. Agent Orange holds the dubious distinction of being responsible for over 400,000 fatalities and 500,000 serious birth defects. There are well over another million people suffering from health issues of one kind or another. The problem with Agent Orange lies in how much of it is contaminated with dioxides. This is something that Monsanto supposedly knew about when it sold Agent Orange to the United States government for use as a weapon of war. The ramifications of the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam are still felt today.  No formal clean-up effort was even attempted until 2012. An interesting note about the chemical make-up of Agent Orange is that some of those very same chemicals can still be found in specific herbicides being used today.

Petroleum-Based Fertilizer

What is it? – Fertilizers are a kind of material that is applied to soil or plant tissues to support their growth and development. Petroleum-based fertilizers came to us through Monsanto after the corporation purchased a major oil refinery in 1955. These petroleum-based fertilizers are terrible for the environment. They destroy helpful micro-organisms that are usually found in the soil. The destruction of these micro-organisms will eventually sterilize the soil and make it wholly reliant on an external stimulus in order to produce anything. Petroleum-based fertilizers can be found in farms throughout the world since they are thought to give farmers a higher level of control over what they are able to grow and what the end product looks like.

Here at the Brady Law Group, we have a team of attorneys experienced in the field of product liability. We have the necessary knowledge and resources to win you all of the financial compensation that you are entitled to under California state law. It is our aim to provide justice for these families that have had their lives altered by chemical profiteering. We do not back away from complicated or stressful cases. We go to any necessary lengths to protect the rights of our clients. If you would like a free consultation regarding a Roundup lawsuit that you believe you may have, please reach out to our law firm by calling (866) 211-2562 as soon as possible.