Montrose Chemical Corporation of California facts for kids

The Montrose Chemical Corporation of California was a company that made chemicals. It was the biggest maker of an insect-killing chemical called DDT in the United States. The company operated from 1947 until it stopped making DDT in 1982.

Montrose Chemical did not properly get rid of its chemical waste. This caused serious harm to the environment, especially in the Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles. Because of this pollution, the company's old main factory area in Harbor Gateway South (near Torrance, California) is now a special cleanup site. The United States Environmental Protection Agency calls these places Superfund sites.

How Chemicals Harmed the Ocean

Between the late 1950s and early 1970s, Montrose Chemical released a lot of DDT into the ocean. They sent about 1,700 tons of DDT through the county's sewer system. This polluted the dirt and sand on the ocean floor near Los Angeles.

The company also dumped hundreds of thousands of barrels filled with DDT waste. These barrels were dropped into the deep sea between the California coast and Santa Catalina Island. Some barrels were even dumped closer to the coast than they should have been. Many barrels were poked with holes before dumping to make sure they would sink.

Even though DDT dumping stopped in 1982, the area near the Palos Verdes Shelf is still polluted. This is because DDT and other chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can move from the dirty ocean floor into the water.

How Pollution Affects Ocean Life

DDT and PCBs get into the food chain. Tiny worms and other small living things in the ocean floor dirt take in these chemicals. Fish then eat these small organisms. This causes the DDT and PCBs to build up inside the fish.

Animals that eat fish, like birds and marine mammals, then get even more of these toxins. This means the pollution moves up the food chain, harming many different creatures.

Protecting Ocean Life Today

Since 1985, warnings have been put out in Southern California. These warnings tell people to be careful about eating fish because of high levels of DDT and PCBs. Fish that feed on the ocean bottom are especially likely to have high amounts of these chemicals.

• It is best to avoid eating white croaker. This fish has the highest levels of pollution.
• Other bottom-feeding fish also have high contamination. These include kelp bass, rockfish, queenfish, black croaker, sheepshead, surfperches, and sculpin.

As part of the Superfund cleanup project, the EPA wants to make sure people follow the fishing ban. This ban applies to both commercial (for sale) and recreational (for fun) fishing of white croaker.

Impact on Animals' Reproduction

Until 2007, bald eagles living on Santa Catalina Island had trouble having babies. The DDT made their eggshells too thin. The eggs would break before the baby eagle could fully grow.

California sea lions also have high levels of DDT. They also have a high rate of cancer, which is unusual for wild animals.

Taking Action: Lawsuits and Cleanup

In October 1989, the old Montrose Chemical site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List. This list names the most serious polluted sites in the country that need cleanup.

In 1990, the United States government and the state of California filed lawsuits. They sued Montrose Chemical and nine other companies near the Palos Verdes area. The lawsuits claimed these companies had damaged the nearby ocean environment.

In December 2000, Montrose Chemical Corporation of California and three other companies agreed to a settlement. They paid a total of $73 million. When combined with money from earlier lawsuits, the total reached $140 million. This money is used to help clean up and restore the ocean environment near the Palos Verdes Shelf.