Erin Brockovich is an environmental activist known for a significant legal case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). She helped bring a lawsuit on behalf of residents of Hinkley, California whose drinking water was contaminated with hexavalent chromium from PG&E's operations. The contamination caused numerous health issues in the community. The case resulted in a $333 million settlement, the largest direct-action lawsuit settlement in U.S. history at that time. Brockovich continues to advocate for communities affected by pollution and educate about the dangers of hexavalent chromium.

1. By-
Deepika Tripathi
Section A

3. Say the name Erin Brockovich
and you think, strong, tough,
stubborn and sexy. Erin is all
that and definitely more. She
thrives on being the voice for
those who don’t know how to
yell. She is a rebel. She is a
fighter. She is a mother. She is a
woman. She is you and me!!
“If you follow your heart, if you listen to your gut,
And if you extend your hand to help another, NOT for any agenda, but
for the sake of HUMANITY, you are going to find the truth”
-Erin Brockovich
-Consumer Advocate.. 19 Years and still fighting !!

4. June 22, 1960 – present (California)
Occupation- President, Brockovich Research & Consulting
 American legal clerk & Environmental Activist
 ‘Miss Pacific Coast’ – 1981
 Thousands Oak California- with Edward L Mesry
 Litigation against Pacific Gas & Electric
 Book – ‘Take It From Me: Life's a Struggle But You
Can Win’
 Awards- Honorary Doctors of Law
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Honorary Master of Arts

5. • Contamination of drinking water – Cr- VI
• Southern California town of Hinkley
• Hinkley Compressor Station- 1952
• 1952- 66, PG&E used Cr6 to fight corrosion in the cooling
tower.
• The waste water discharged to unlined ponds at the site.
• Case settled for US $ 333 million- “ the largest settlement ever
paid in a direct action lawsuit in US history”
• Brockovich’s Firm- 133.6 million $
• Brockovich herself received 2 million $

6. Kinds of Chromium?
• Straight-up Chromium
(Does all kinds of good things)
• Chrome 3
(Fairly benign)
• Hexavalent Chromium
(DEPENDING ON THE
AMOUNT CAN BE VERY
HARMFUL)
Diseases caused:
•Chronic Headaches
•Nosebleeds
•Respiratory disease
•Liver Failure
•Heart Failure
•Reproductive Failure
•Bone or Organ Deterioration
•ANY TYPE OF CANCER
It kills people???
Definitely. Highly toxic,
highly carcinogenic. Bad,
bad stuff.

11. Communities adjacent to industrial facilities using hexavalent
chromium such as low income communities like Hinkley and
communities of colour are among those most highly exposed to
hexavalent chromium pollution. People can be exposed to
hexavalent chromium by drinking contaminated water, eating
contaminated food, by inhaling it, or by exposure to
contaminated soils.
Hexavalent chromium usually enters the drinking water supply
by running off from industrial operations into surface waters or
leaching from soil into groundwater.
Hexavalent chromium is used for the production of stainless
steel, textile dyes, wood preservation, leather tanning, and as
an anti-corrosive as well as a variety of niche uses. Due to its
wide use by industry, hexavalent chromium is a common
pollutant found at contaminated sites and has been documented
at approximately two-thirds of Industrial sites.

13. Any
Questions???