Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
From the annals of the dark side of Disney, we bring you news that citizens of Burbank, California, are suing the media giant for allegedly dumping toxic chemicals, including a known carcinogen, in their community since 1998.
According to the Burbank Leader, citizens hired Delaware-based watchdog group Environmental World Watch Inc. to test local waterways for chromium 6 (also known as hexavalent chromium), which increases risk of lung cancer in those who inhale it. The group reported “significant quantities” of the toxin downstream from Disney’s facilities.
Unsurprisingly, Disney has been tight-lipped about the case so far, but a spokesperson did call the allegations “completely baseless.”
This all comes on the heels of the company’s big we’re-going-green announcement earlier this year, when execs outlined plans to conserve energy and reduce emissions and waste. If it turns out the dumping accusations are legit, Disney’ll have quite the PR problem to imagineer its way out of.