Safety-Kleen's Knowledge of Kidney Damage
Safety-Kleen has long known that its solvent is toxic to the kidneys. Allan Manteuffel, Safety-Kleen's first Vice-President of Technical Services, wrote an article titled "Cleaning Parts: Why and How," published in 1980 in Fleet Maintenance and Specifying. The article states: "Chlorinated solvents ought to be used only in washers designed specifically for them. In no case should they be used without adequate ventilation to remove the vapors from the surface of open-type cleaners at all times. When using these solvents, gloves should always be worn because of the possibility of the solvent contacting the skin. If the vapors are being inhaled or if the liquid is allowed to contact the skin continuously, the chemical can be absorbed into the body. Over a period of time, this can cause kidney, liver and/or lung damage."
In May 1987, Safety-Kleen revised the label for its drop-off drums of Safety-Kleen 105 Solvent and warned that "long term overexposure may cause liver and/or kidney injury." However, shortly thereafter, Safety-Kleen removed this warning because it was negatively affecting sales and profits.
Several cases of kidney cancer and disease have also been brought by workers exposed to Safety-Kleen 105 Solvent against the company. See, e.g., Diamond v. Safety-Kleen, Supreme Court of the State of New York (1991) [kidney cancer]; Minniear v. Safety-Kleen, U.S.D.C. N.D. Ind. (March 16, 1989) [kidney disease]; Wells v. Safety-Kleen, Superior Court of Washington for King County (Oct. 23, 1986) [kidney and liver disease]; Vineberg v. Safety-Kleen, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1994) [kidney cancer].
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