Firm agrees to $10 million in fertilizer case

From News-Press Now:

"A Kansas City firm preliminarily agreed Friday to pay $10 million to a group of Northwest Missouri farmers who claim fertilizer that allegedly contained hexavalent chromium damaged their property.

Burns & McDonnell Engineering did not admit fault in the order and continues to deny any wrongdoing in the case, but reached an agreement in the class-action suit to avoid further court costs and distraction from the company’s business, according to a statement released by the firm.

The plaintiffs argue that the agencies should have used different screening levels and criteria in their evaluation, and the properties to which the fertilizer was applied have, in fact, been devalued.

Friday’s agreement is separate from ongoing legal proceedings that involve health issues."

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