GEORGETOWN - Attorneys representing a group of Georgetown County residents has filed a federal lawsuit against International Paper.
The suit accuses International Paper of “continuously and for years” releasing hazardous substances and toxic waste into the air, land and water, which the plaintiffs claim “have caused serious health effects on both humans and animals.“
The lawsuit also claims International Paper knowingly suppressed facts pertaining to the extent of the substance release. In doing so, the suit claims, “they willfully neglected to inform citizens that their emissions could cause, promote, and accelerate cancer, cause birth defects, and cause other serious, disabling, and life-threatening diseases and health conditions.“
The suit was filed July 31, in federal court in Charleston by Bell Legal Group of Georgetown.
According to a news release from the law firm, the public concern began when “a study using published EPA data, along with accepted air modeling techniques, brought national attention to the poor air quality surrounding several Georgetown schools in 2008.“
In addition, the firm claims South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control data showed elevated asthma and cancer rates in Georgetown County. “Residents believe that International Paper’s willful disregard for the local community, as evidenced through the continuous dumping of hazardous substances into the environment, substantially added to these alarming statistics.“ the release said.
“The statistics can’t be ignored,” said Ryan Heiskell, an attorney for the Bell Group, “and the people of this community are asking IP to step up and take responsibility.”
The complaint demands “that International Paper cease to emit any further release of hazardous substances into the atmosphere, conduct an investigation to determine the amount of contamination present in all homes and property located in the Georgetown community, and remove all traces of the hazardous substances found.“
Calls in International Paper’s corporate office for comment were not returned on Friday.
However, Susan McPherson, a spokesperson for the company did speak to the Sun News, telling the newspaper the mill was aware of the lawsuit, and that the company has “a long-standing commitment to the community to operate our facility in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.“
McPherson refused to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, but added “we will fight the allegations vigorously to uphold our mill’s reputation.“
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