Alabama Judge Tosses Chemical Claim Against Splenda Factory

A federal judge in Mobile, Alabama has denied the majority of a lawsuit against the company that makes Splenda.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ginny Granade said that a group of Washington County residents suing over the Tate & Lyle factory in McIntosh failed to prove their claims. The residents’ lawsuit alleges that they were hurt by chemical emissions and noise produced by the factory.

The 2006 case was set to go to trial last Friday. But the judge’s ruling threw out all but the noise complaint portion of the lawsuit. She delayed the trial’s start until Monday in hopes that attorneys could reach a settlement before then.

John Parker, an attorney for the 27 homeowners, declined to comment. William Baldwin-Charles, a spokesman for the plant, said he is pleased with the judge’s ruling.

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Information from: Press-Register,
http://www.al.com/mobileregister