"Lockheed Martin ‘mishandled toxins’, causing illness: US lawsuits", 29 September 2020

Two lawsuits filed on Monday alleged that US-based weapons company Lockheed Martin has mishandled toxins at a Florida facility for decades, causing life-threatening health issues in workers and nearby residents.

One of the lawsuits was filed on behalf residents of Tangelo Park in Orange County, Florida where the Lockheed Martin facility is located. The other was filed on behalf of 13 employees of the Golf Channel, which has headquarters near Tangelo Park, a census-designated area with a population of around 2,300 that is roughly 80 percent Black, according to Statistical Atlas.

The suits alleged “reckless mismanagement of extremely hazardous toxins” on the part of Lockheed Martin, including “heavy metals, persistent environmental pollutants, and Volatile Organic Compounds [VOC]”, which are unstable materials that vaporise, lending to their ability to contaminate air, water and soil.

... The lawsuit filed on behalf of the Golf Channel employees claimed Emilio San Martin, who worked and lived near the facility from 1994 until 2014, was “diagnosed with brain lesions, multiple sclerosis, and hypoactive thyroid” as a result of Lockheed Martin’s actions.

... Lockheed Martin did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment. The company told local news media on Monday it was reviewing the complaint and does not comment on pending litigation.