Four employees of New York’s Rikers Island prison are suing the city for cancer-related illnesses they claim were caused by exposure to toxic substances on the job. Most of prison is built over a landfill.
The employees, along with the widow of another employee, say the city knew of the danger but neglected to warn its workers. A claim the city denies.
Correction Officer Vanessa Parks told The New York Daily News, “That island is toxic and it’s killing people.” She was diagnosed with uterine cancer two years ago.
More than 8,000 correction personnel work on Rikers Island.