Continental Carbon Settles Suits

Carbon black maker Continental Carbon has settled two class-action lawsuits claiming that emissions from the firm's Ponca City, Okla., plant damaged nearby properties. A judge overseeing the cases in Oklahoma has approved a payment of $10.5 million to the Ponca Tribe of Indians. He also approved a settlement that will make $800,000 available to 11,000 Ponca City property owners who can prove damages. Continental President Kim K. T. Pan says that he strongly disagrees with plaintiffs' claims but that the settlement "allows our company to focus on managing our business." Continental is owned by Taiwan-based China Synthetic Rubber.