The Human Guinea Pig Project

THGPP Episode 5: Nathan Delack- Cancer clusters- What can we learn from McCullom Lake?

January 13, 2020 Andrew Scarborough Season 1 Episode 5
The Human Guinea Pig Project
THGPP Episode 5: Nathan Delack- Cancer clusters- What can we learn from McCullom Lake?
Show Notes

Nathan Delack is a 7-time EMMY-award-winning television news photojournalist.

In this episode I interview Nathan on his upcoming documentary film about the McCullom Lake cancer cluster, chronicling the town’s search for answers and their fight for justice.

LINKS:
http://www.McCullomlake.net
http://www.facebook.com/McCullomLake
http://www.Twtitter.com/McCullomLake

Background:

In 2014, residents of McCullom Lake, Illinois, settled an eight-year-old lawsuit in which they claimed exposure to vinyl chloride and other volatile organic compounds from a nearby Dow Chemical plant had caused a brain cancer cluster in the area. 

The original lawsuits also named the neighbouring Modine Manufacturing plant, alleging that its contribution of trichloroethylene to the plume made it culpable for illnesses. Modine settled with the plaintiffs in 2008 for undisclosed amounts.

The village of McCullom lake has a population of just over 1,000 residents. A brain cancer cluster of 33 brain tumours was reported at the time, with many more people thought to be affected following further investigation.