Exposure : poisoned water, corporate greed, and one lawyer’s twenty-year battle against DuPont

An unforgettable David and Goliath-style legal drama about malice and manipulation, the failings of environmental regulation, and one lawyer's quest to expose the truth about this previously unknown--and still unregulated--chemical that presents one of the greatest human health crises of the 21st century. -- In 1998, Bilott was a lawyer specializing in helping big corporations stay on the right side of environmental regulations. He received a call from a West Virginia farmer, Earl Tennant, who was convinced the creek on his property was being poisoned by runoff from a DuPont landfill. Bilott agreed to help Tennant, and discovered documents going back fifty years on the harmful effects of the man-made chemical PFOA (one of a class of chemicals called PFAS) used in making Teflon. Now virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA-- and carries the chemical in his or her blood. -- adapted from jacket. Read more... "For Erin Brockovich fans, a David vs. Goliath tale with a twist" ( The New York Times Book Review) — the incredible true story of the lawyer who spent two decades building a case against DuPont for its use of the hazardous chemical PFOA, uncovering the worst case of environmental contamination in history—affecting virtually every person on the planet—and the conspiracy that kept it a secret for sixty years. The story that inspired Dark Waters , the major motion picture from Focus Features starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway, directed by Todd Haynes. 1998: Rob Bilott is a young lawyer specializing in helping big corporations stay on the right side of environmental laws and regulations. Then he gets a phone call from a West Virginia farmer named Earl Tennant, who is convinced the creek on his property is being poisoned by runoff from a neighboring DuPont landfill, causing his cattle and the surrounding wildlife to die in hideous ways. Earl hasn't even been able to get a water sample tested by any state or federal regulatory agency or find a local lawyer willing to take the case. As soon as they hear the name DuPont—the area's largest employer—they shut him down. Once Rob sees the thick, foamy water that bubbles into the creek, the gruesome effects it seems to have on livestock, and the disturbing frequency of cancer and other health problems in the area, he's persuaded to fight against the type of corporation his firm routinely represents. After intense legal wrangling, Rob ultimately gains access to hundreds of thousands of pages of DuPont documents, some of them fifty years old, that reveal the company has been holding onto decades of studies proving the harmful effects of a chemical called PFOA, used in making Teflon. PFOA is often called a "forever chemical," because once in the environment, it does not break down or degrade for millions of years, contaminating the planet forever. The case of one farmer soon spawns a class action suit on behalf of seventy thousand residents—and the shocking realization that virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA and carries the chemical in his or her blood. What emerges is a riveting legal drama "in the grand tradition of Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action " ( Booklist , starred review) about malice and manipulation, the failings of environmental regulation; and one lawyer's twenty-year struggle to expose the truth about this previously unknown—and still unregulated—chemical that we all have inside us. "1998: Rob Bilott is a young lawyer specializing in helping big corporations stay on the right side of environmental laws and regulations. His life and career take an unexpected turn when he gets a phone call from a West Virginia farmer named Earl Tennant. Earl is convinced the creek on his property is being poisoned by runoff from a neighboring DuPont landfill. His cattle are dying in hideous ways, as is much of the surrounding wildlife. Earl hasn't even been able to get a water sample tested by any state or federal regulatory agency or find a local lawyer willing to take the case. As soon as they hear the name DuPont-the area's largest employer-they shut him down. Once Rob sees the thick, foamy water that bubbles into the creek, the gruesome effects it seems to have on livestock, and the disturbing frequency of cancer and other health problems in the surrounding area, he's persuaded to fight against the type of corporation his firm routinely represents. After intense legal wrangling, Rob ultimately gains access to hundreds of thousands of pages of DuPont documents, some of them fifty years old, that reveal the company has been holding onto decades of studies proving the harmful effects of a chemical called PFOA, used in making Teflon. PFOA is often called a "forever chemical," because once inside the body, it remains there for a long period of time, building up faster than the body can excrete it, and once in the environment, it does not break down or degrade for millions of years, contaminating the planet forever. Although aware of these properties, DuPont kept its scientific findings from the public while at the same time dumping hundreds of thousands of pounds of PFOA waste into the Ohio River and landfills. The case of one farmer soon spawns a class action suit on behalf of seventy thousand residents-and the shocking realization that virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA and carries the chemical in his or her blood. What emerges is an unforgettable, David and Goliath-style legal drama about malice and manipulation, the failings of environmental regulation; and one lawyer's twenty-year struggle to expose the truth about this previously unknown-and still unregulated-chemical that we all have inside us"-- Provided by publisher "In 1998, Robert Bilott was a 33-year-old Cincinnati lawyer on the verge of making partner when his career and life took an unforeseen turn. He was taken by surprise when he received a call from a man named Earl Tennant, a farmer from West Virginia with a slight connection to Roberts family. Earl was convinced the creek on his property, where his cattle grazed, was being poisoned by run-off from a neighbouring factory landfill. His cattle were dying in hideous ways, and he hadnt even been able to get a water sample tested by local agencies, politicians or vets. As soon as they heard the name DuPont -- the areas largest employer -- he felt they were reluctant to investigate further. Once Robert saw the thick, foamy water that bubbled into the creek, the gruesome effects it seemed to have on livestock, and the disturbing frequency of cancer and lung problems in the surrounding area, he was persuaded to fight against the type of corporation his firm routinely represented. With all the cards stacked against him, Rob happened upon a stray reference in a random memo to a chemical called PFOA -- a substance hed never heard of that is used in the manufacture of Teflon. From that one reference, he ultimately gained access to 110,000 pages of DuPont documents, some of them fifty years old, that reveal decades of medical studies proving the harmful -- more often than not fatal -- effects of PFOA in animals and humans. And yet PFOA sludge had still been dumped into rivers and landfill, endangering many lives. The case of one farmer soon spawns a class-action suit and the shocking realisation that virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA and carries the chemical in his or her blood. This is the unforgettable story of the lawyer who worked tirelessly for twenty years to get justice for all those who had suffered because of this chemical"--Publisher's description " For Erin Brockovich fans, a David vs. Goliath tale with a twist." ? The New York Times Book Review The story that inspired the major motion picture Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott. In 1998, Rob Bilott began a legal battle against DuPont that would consume the next twenty years of his life, uncovering the worst case of environmental contamination in modern history and a corporate cover-up that put the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Representing a single farmer who was convinced the creek on his property had been poisoned by runoff from a nearby DuPont landfill, Rob ultimately discovers the truth about PFAS?unregulated, toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing of Teflon and a host of other household goods. DuPont's own scientists had issued internal warnings for years about the harmful effects of PFAS on human health, but the company continued to allow these chemicals to leach into public drinking water. Until Rob forced them to face the consequences. Exposure is an unforgettable legal drama about malice and manipulation, the failings of environmental regulation, and one lawyer's quest to expose the truth about this previously unknown?and still unregulated?chemical that presents one of the greatest human health crises of the 21st century "An intimate account of one of the most appalling environmental crimes in modern history...Rob Bilott is a hero of our time." —Nathaniel Rich, author of Losing Earth The story that inspired the major motion picture Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott. In 1988, Rob Bilott began a legal battle against DuPont that would consume the next twenty years of his life, uncovering the worst case of environmental contamination in modern history and a corporate cover-up that put the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Representing a single farmer who was convinced the creek on his property had been poisoned by runoff from a nearby DuPont landfill, Rob ultimately discovers the truth about PFAS—unregulated, toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing of Teflon and a host of other household goods. DuPont's own scientists had issued internal warnings for years about the harmful effects of PFAS on human health, but the... **"****The story that inspired the major motion picture __Dark Waters,__ starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott.**In 1998, Rob Bilott began a legal battle against DuPont that would consume the next twenty years of his life, uncovering the worst case of environmental contamination in modern history and a corporate cover-up that put the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Representing a single farmer who was convinced the creek on his property had been poisoned by runoff from a nearby DuPont landfill, Rob ultimately discovers the truth about PFAS—unregulated, toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing of Teflon and a host of other household goods. DuPont's own scientists had issued internal warnings for years about the harmful effects of PFAS on human health, but the company continued to allow these chemicals to leach... Act 1. The farmer: Dry run The call Parkersburg The farm The secret ingredient Paper trail The scientist The letter The meeting The cows come home The settlement -- Act 2. The town: Crossroads First blood Privileged Alternative data Appetite for destruction Of mouse and man Teflon pawns Actual malice Hail Mary Narrative warfare Epidemiology "No known human health effects" Corporate knowledge The perfect storm The big idea -- Act 3. The world: The study The second wave Dark science Burden of proof Shaken Road to a reckoning The trial The reckoning -- Epilogue. Silent Spring meets Erin Brockovich in this eye-opening, rivetingtrue story of the lawyer who spent two decades building a case against DuPontfor its use of the hazardous, unregulated chemical PFOA