A 2022 Times and ProPublica investigation into Sky Valley’s PCB problem detailed how the Monroe School District knew about the school’s exposure to PCBs, but acted slowly and ineffectively to clear the campus of PCBs, despite telling the EPA it resolved the crisis. The district offered Sky Valley plaintiffs $34 million — the maximum allowed under its insurance policy — without accepting responsibility for the school’s hazardous state, The Times and ProPublica reported.

Harmful PCBs seeped into classrooms and hallways from fluorescent lights and building caulking infused with PCBs, The Times reported.

Since 2018, a Seattle-based firm has filed lawsuits on behalf of Sky Valley students, staff and others who described devastating diagnoses, including various cancers, brain damage, autoimmune diseases and miscarriages. Some, including children, reportedly died as a result of their illnesses, the lawsuits claim.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked PCB exposure to health symptoms including impaired memory and learning ability, skin conditions and liver problems.