More than 70 years ago, contractors for the U.S Air Force started disposing of chemical waste and solvents near Tucson International Airport, including trichloroethylene (TCE), which is classified as a human carcinogen by the EPA.
Then, almost 30 years ago, over $100 million in lawsuits were settled between Tucson Southside residents, various companies and government agencies over the TCE polluted groundwater.
But the story isn’t over yet. Southside residents in Tucson say they are still experiencing health effects from that pollution originating from the 1940s and over 1,300 of them have filed formal claims against the Air Force.
Arizona Daily Star environmental reporter Tony Davis joined The Show to explain why.
