For decades, a Monsanto chemical plant in Anniston, Alabama manufactured polychlorinated biphenyls — PCBs — and discharged them into local creeks, buried them in open pits, and left them to seep into the soil and groundwater beneath a predominantly Black neighborhood on the west side of town. By the time the full scope became public, Anniston had become ground zero for one of the most severe PCB contamination events in United States history.
What Happened in Anniston
Monsanto operated a PCB manufacturing facility in Anniston from 1929 until 1971, when it shuttered the plant. During that period, the company discharged PCB-laden waste directly into Snow Creek, which flows through residential neighborhoods before emptying into Choccolocco Creek. The company also buried tens of thousands of pounds of PCB waste in unlined landfills near the plant.
Internal Monsanto documents, later obtained through litigation, showed the company was aware of the contamination and its risks as far back as the 1960s. Despite this knowledge, the company continued operating without adequately warning residents or the community. Fish in Snow Creek were found dead and deformed. Residents fishing and swimming in local waterways were unknowingly exposing themselves to one of the most persistent environmental toxins known.
In 2002, a jury awarded $700 million to approximately 18,000 Anniston residents in Abernathy v. Monsanto, one of the largest environmental liability verdicts in US history at the time. Solutia, the Monsanto spinoff that inherited the Anniston plant’s liabilities, eventually settled claims. Subsequent legal actions continued for years.
The EPA Superfund Designation
The EPA designated the Anniston PCB Site as a Superfund site, and remediation work has been ongoing for years under the agency’s oversight. The cleanup has involved excavating contaminated soil from residential yards, draining and capping landfill areas, and monitoring Choccolocco Creek and its tributaries.
According to EPA records, PCB contamination in soil around the former plant area and in adjacent residential neighborhoods exceeded safe levels by significant margins. Sediment samples from local waterways showed PCB concentrations well above EPA screening thresholds. The cleanup has been complex and protracted — PCBs bind tightly to soil particles and persist for decades in sediment.
The Anniston Army Depot, also located in the city, has its own separate contamination history involving PCBs and other hazardous materials, though that site has operated under a different regulatory framework.
What the Data Shows About Current Conditions
Choccolocco Creek and its tributaries remain subjects of ongoing monitoring. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and EPA have issued fish consumption advisories for portions of the creek system, warning residents — particularly women of childbearing age and children — to limit or avoid eating fish caught in affected areas.
Blood testing of Anniston residents conducted in the years following the initial litigation revealed elevated PCB levels compared to national averages, particularly among residents who had lived closest to the plant for the longest periods. Research published in scientific journals documented the health burden in the community.
Drinking water in Anniston comes from Anniston Water Works and Sewer Board, which draws from surface water sources including Choccolocco Creek. The utility treats water to EPA standards, and public water supply testing has generally shown compliance with EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for regulated contaminants. However, PCBs were not always part of routine monitoring programs in earlier years, and the utility’s treatment processes have been upgraded over time. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: current PCB detection rates in finished drinking water]
The broader concern for many residents is not just the treated tap water but the soil, dust, and sediment pathways — especially for children who play outdoors. Remediated yards have replaced contaminated soil with clean fill, but the extent of remediation and verification of cleanup completion varies by parcel.
The Environmental Justice Dimension
West Anniston, where the Monsanto plant was located and where the worst contamination occurred, is a predominantly African American community. Advocates and researchers have pointed to the Anniston case as a textbook example of environmental injustice — a company knowingly exposing a low-income community of color to hazardous waste while concealing the risks.
Organizations like the Community Against Pollution (CAP) have been active in Anniston for years, pushing for more complete cleanup, health monitoring, and accountability. The case has been studied by environmental law scholars and public health researchers as a model of corporate concealment and the long road to remediation.
What Residents Can Do
If you live in or near west Anniston, particularly in areas that have been identified as part of the Superfund cleanup zone:
- Follow fish consumption advisories. ADEM and EPA advisories for Choccolocco Creek should be taken seriously, especially for children and pregnant women.
- Get soil testing done. If your yard was identified as part of the cleanup but you’re unsure of its status, contact ADEM or the EPA Superfund project manager for the Anniston site.
- Test your tap water. Even if the municipal system is in compliance, private wells in the area should be tested independently by a certified laboratory.
- Contact your water utility. Ask for the most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from Anniston Water Works. Review what contaminants are monitored and at what levels.
- Check blood lead and PCB levels. If you have young children who have lived in the area, a physician can order blood testing to assess exposure.
Water Treatment Options
For residents concerned about PCB contamination in tap water, granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration is the most effective treatment method. GAC adsorbs PCBs and many other organic contaminants from water. Reverse osmosis systems also offer high removal rates for a broad range of contaminants.
Pitcher-style carbon filters (like Brita) provide some reduction but are not as effective as under-sink GAC or RO systems for persistent organic pollutants like PCBs.
The EPA does not list PCBs among contaminants where bottled water provides a major advantage over properly treated municipal water — but for residents with private wells or in areas with uncertain treatment, a certified home treatment system offers additional protection.
Anniston’s story is not finished. Cleanup continues, monitoring continues, and the community continues to live with the consequences of decisions made by a corporation decades ago. Knowing your exposure risk is the first step toward protecting your family.
If you are concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and advise on solutions.