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About POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database (FCMD)

The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

Merck & Co., Inc.

Abarca, et al. v. Merck (Hexavalent Chromium Contamination)

Date: 06/12/2008 (Date of Complaint)

Misconduct Type: Health

Enforcement Agency: Non-Governmental

Contracting Party: None

Court Type: Civil

Amount: $0

Disposition: Judgment Against Defendant

Synopsis: Residents of Merced County, California alleged that former Merck unit Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) exposed the population to hexavalent chromium when it ran a wood-treating facility in the area between 1969 and 1994. In March 2011, a federal jury determined that BAC’s operations at the facility resulted in contamination of the air and certain water sources. Later phases of the trial will determine the liability of each defendant and whether plaintiffs are entitled to damages.