Workers at Big Government Lab Sue Over Exposure to a Toxic Chemical

Workers at Brookhaven National Laboratory are currently suing their superiors for exposure to TCE, a chemical the maintenance crew was directed to use.  This chemical is known to cause cancer and is currently being deregulated by the Trump administration.  Workers exposed to TCE are now suing the Department of Energy for this overexposure.  This is a rarity because the majority of cases of overexposure are normally settled through worker's compensation and a lawsuit on the Department of energy could mean a change for more regulation and safety precautions on the chemical.  This could additionally have a positive effect on the environment because factories which dump TCE could be held responsible for the pollution of groundwater it seeps into. 
I believe that there are upsides and downsides to any kind of situation like this, but in my opinion increased regulation or outright banning of TCE is the best decision.  While safer chemicals might be more expensive and less effective, I think we should value the lives of employees above the cost.



https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/climate/tce-exposure-lawsuits-brookhaven.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2019 at 8:20 PM

    It is interesting to think that even after a substance is found to be cancerous, it is still used in some cases. A safer substitute could easily be found, and safety should be the upmost concern when it comes to handling potentially dangerous materials.

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