OPELIKA, Ala. (Aug. 26)—An Alabama federal court jury awarded more than $20 million in damages to the city of Columbus, Ga., a business and two individuals in an air pollution lawsuit against carbon black producer Continental Carbon Co. and its Taiwanese parent company.
The verdict, handed down Aug. 25, included compensatory damages of $1.9 million, punitive damages of $17.5 million and attorney's fees and expenses of $1.294 million, according to Montgomery, Ala., law firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis and Miles, which represented the plaintiffs in the case.
The lawsuit alleged air emissions of carbon black from Continental Carbon's Phenix City, Ala., plant damaged property owned by individuals and businesses in Columbus, which is located across the Chattahoochee River from Phenix City. The plaintiffs claimed property value damage, lost income and physical and emotional damage.
The suit also named Continental Carbon's parent company, Taiwan-based China Synthetic Rubber Corp., as a defendant.