"River Is One Of The Nation's Largest, Most Expensive Cleanup Efforts"

"Federal, state and tribal officials are hailing the completion of a more than $1 billion cleanup of contaminated sediments in the Lower Fox River. The cleanup is considered one of the largest and most expensive in the nation.

The 17 year-long effort included 39 miles of the Lower Fox River and Green Bay where paper mills lined the river. Paper companies used polychlorinated biphenyls, or manmade chemicals known as PCBs, to make carbonless copy paper, releasing nearly 700,000 pounds into the river from the mid-1950s to 1971.  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned use of the toxic chemicals in 1979 because research showed they don't easily break down in the environment and cause harmful effects, including cancer, for humans, fish and wildlife."

Danielle Kaeding reports for Wisconsin Public Radio September 2, 2020. [2]