▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁As ▁late ▁as ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁D BC P ▁pers istence ▁was ▁reported ▁in ▁ground water ▁that ▁was ▁previously ▁used ▁for ▁benef icial ▁purposes , ▁and ▁numerous ▁nearby ▁well s ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁shut ▁down ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁ ▁Law su its ▁ ▁Work ers ▁at ▁the ▁Dow ▁Chem ical ▁plant ▁producing ▁D BC P ▁were ▁made ▁ster ile ▁by ▁expos ure ▁to ▁D BC P . ▁These ▁male ▁re product ive ▁effects ▁were ▁consistent ▁with ▁animal ▁experiments ▁showing ▁that ▁D BC P ▁ster il izes ▁rabb its . ▁One ▁contract ▁worker ▁at ▁the ▁production ▁plant ▁successfully ▁su ed ▁the ▁company . ▁Most ▁workers ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁company ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁company ▁spons ored ▁medical ▁program ▁until ▁the ▁facility ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁workers ▁did ▁file ▁suit ▁against ▁the ▁company . ▁However , ▁the ▁suit ▁was ▁denied ▁due ▁to ▁stat ute ▁of ▁limitations ▁issues . ▁ ▁Most ▁domestic ▁uses ▁of ▁the ▁chemical ▁were ▁b anned ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Am id ▁growing ▁concerns ▁over ▁D BC P ' s ▁effects ▁on ▁male ▁workers , ▁Dow ▁ceased ▁production ▁and ▁rec laimed ▁D BC P ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁sh ipped ▁to ▁its ▁users . ▁ ▁However , ▁despite ▁warnings ▁from ▁Dow ▁about ▁its ▁health ▁effects , ▁the ▁D ole ▁Food ▁Company , ▁which ▁was ▁using ▁the ▁chemical ▁on ▁its ▁ban ana ▁plant ations ▁in ▁Latin ▁America , ▁threatened ▁to