Lawsuit filed against Prime Tanning
According to reports, a lawsuit has been filed against Prime Tanning and the tannery’s new owner.
A group of more than 20 local landowners filed the suit, alleging that a fertiliser used by the company contained hazardous levels of hexavalent chromium.
The civil suit names Prime Tanning, National Beef Leathers, Wimso Chemical Corp, Elementis and Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. It states that Prime Tanning owned and operated a St Joseph tannery until the first quarter of 2009, until it was sold to National Beef. The lawsuit claims chromium from the firm’s tanning process was used as a land-applied fertiliser.
Prime and Elementis formed Wismo, a firm involved in converting hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium at the facility, while Burns & McDonnel reportedly instructed Prime Tanning on applying the fertiliser.
