General Chemical Plant, California

A chemical plant that manufactures sulfuric acid from waste acid and sulfur. Several incidents over the years involving the release of toxic chemicals into the environment have caused alarm in the surrounding community. In 1993, the plant emitted a cloud of sulfuric acid that covered a fifteen square mile area, sent 24,000 people to the hospital, and ultimately resulted in General Chemical paying $180 million to settle a class action lawsuit involving 62,000 plaintiffs and their attorneys.