“Toxic Town” has finally arrived on screens, but the traumatic story of how released toxins led to birth deformities in children in Corby has people wondering, is this a true story? We’re here to fill you in.
Netflix’s “Toxic Town” tells the story of the Corby Toxic Waste incident, which has been referred to as the first legal case that connected atmospheric toxic waste and birth defects.
Here’s a description of the four-part series: “Based on one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals, Toxic Town is the story of the people at the heart of the Corby poisonings. Focusing on the mothers, who took on a David and Goliath battle for justice, the series traces through the years of their fight as a terrible truth comes to the surface.”
Before or after you watch, here are all the details you need to know about what happened and how it all ended.
Is “Toxic Town” Based on a True Story?
Yes, Netflix’s new drama “Toxic Town” is based on a true story. Keep reading to learn what happened.
What really happened?
“Toxic Town” is based on the real life events that took place in the English town of Corby, Northamptonshire; the case is referred to as the Corby Toxic Waste case.
When Corby’s townsfolk inhaled toxic dust that was coming from Corby Steelworks, a once major and now-closed steel-making facility that produced steel tubes that were used for construction and infrastructure. However, it also produced toxic wastes in the form of sludge spills that would leak onto roads, as well as release large amounts of toxic dust into the air.
Corby Steelworks was owned by steel tube manufacturer Stewarts & Lloyds, and Corby Borough Council bought it in 1984 and redeveloped it. But between the late ’80s and ’90s, there was a rise in babies being born with limb deformities in Corby, with a rate that was triple the amount of the children born in surrounding areas. Some of the disabilities included missing or undeveloped fingers and foot deformities.
One of the mothers, Maggie Mahon, said she remembers seeing black dust and smoke in the air, what she says was a normal occurrence in the town. Another mother, Susan McIntyre said they were walking in sludge daily with no idea they were being exposed to toxins.
“I was in hospital with lots of other mothers having babies, and some of them had babies that had problems with their limbs,” McIntyre told Netflix of her experience. “And I’d say, ‘Oh, you’ll be all right,’ and I’d comfort them, and then four months later, the same thing happened to me. I had a baby with the exact same thing. And I did think that was strange.”
In November 2005, 30 mothers came forward with legitimate evidence that claimed their exposure to contamination from Corby Steelworks’ waste removal resulted in their children being born with birth defects. In their complaint, which was submitted to the High Court in London, the women sought to prove environmental negligence on Corby Borough Council’s part, stating the council was careless with its management of the toxic waste after its reclamation of Corby Steelworks.
How Did It End?
On July 29, 2009, in the case of Corby Group Litigation v. Corby Borough Council, a judge found Corby Borough Council liable for negligence, public nuisance and breach of statutory duty. The case took 10 years to settle.
Corby Borough Council were ordered to compensate the families as well as cover their legal fees. The settlement reward was $14 million pounds, which converts to $17,662,717.80 in U.S. dollars.
Netflix’s Retelling
“Toxic Town” writer and creator Jack Thorne portrays the tragedy through the pursuits of three mothers: Susan McIntyre, Tracey Taylor (Aimee Lou Wood) and Maggie Mahon (Claudia Jessie).
Watch Netflix’s ‘The True Story Behind Toxic Town
The cast of Netflix’s “Toxic Town” met the real mothers whose families were impacted.
