For decades, the toxic legacy of Coldwater Creek has endangered St. Louis families. Radioactive waste from WWII-era uranium processing – in some cases carelessly dumped by Mallinckrodt Chemical Works and in others due to improper storage that led to contaminated runoff into the creek – has seeped into the soil and water, leaving a trail of rare cancers, autoimmune disorders, birth defects, and devastating losses. Now, victims are fighting back, and some may choose to pursue a Coldwater Creek contamination lawsuit with the help of a personal injury attorney.
In 2024, the United States Senate voted in favor of legislation that would compensate individuals who developed cancer following exposure to World War II-era radioactive waste in St. Louis, according to The Missouri Independent. It extended the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and expanded it “to cover individuals who were exposed to the radioactive waste that remains scattered across the St. Louis region,” the outlet noted.
The outlet reported that Mallinckrodt Chemical Works refined uranium in downtown St. Louis, and “after the war, radioactive waste from Mallinckrodt’s downtown facilities was trucked to St. Louis County – falling into the road along the way – and dumped at the airport. The material, which was left open to the elements, contaminated Coldwater Creek, which flows by the airport and through the county’s busy suburban neighborhoods.”
The material was then sold and moved to another site next to Coldwater Creek, where it persisted in polluting the water and leading to devastating health effects for people living nearby.
Many families still suffer without answers, and the full scope of corporate negligence remains under-addressed.
If you or a loved one lived, worked, played near, or attended school near Coldwater Creek and later developed health issues such as leukemia, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, breast cancer, or other radiation-linked illnesses, you may be entitled to significant compensation. The corporations and agencies responsible must be held accountable for their reckless disregard for human life.
Our firm is aggressively pursuing justice for Coldwater Creek victims. We’ve taken on powerful polluters before and won, and we urge you to reach out if you believe you may have an eligible case. You don’t have to fight this battle alone; we want to help.
The truth about Coldwater Creek is out. Now, it’s time for action.
Please contact us today for a free, no-obligation, confidential case review. We can discuss your legal options with you and help you demand the compensation and accountability you deserve. And it all starts with a phone call.
Call 602-222-2222 to get in touch with a member of the team at Phillips Law Group today.
Current status as of August 31, 2026
The federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) was reauthorized and expanded in July 2025. The U.S. Department of Justice now accepts claims through its electronic portal, and the current filing deadline is December 31, 2027. This program is not a private Coldwater Creek settlement or a reopened class action. It is a federal compensation program with its own statutory eligibility rules, documentation requirements, and claim process. [1]
Have questions about a possible Coldwater Creek contamination claim?
Phillips Law Group can review a potential toxic-exposure matter at no cost. A legal evaluation is separate from the federal RECA application process.
Searches for a Coldwater Creek settlement, a Coldwater Creek class action lawsuit, or a Coldwater Creek lawsuit payout date can be confusing because they may refer to different paths. As of the date above, the official federal pathway for people who meet the applicable requirements is RECA. The U.S. Department of Justice describes RECA as a non-adversarial alternative to litigation. It is not a universal settlement fund, does not have a single per-person payout, and does not require eligible Manhattan Project Waste claimants to prove individual causation in the way a civil lawsuit ordinarily would. [1]
A Coldwater Creek contamination lawsuit is a separate legal question. A private claim may turn on its own facts, evidence, time limits, parties, jurisdiction, and applicable law. RECA eligibility also has defined requirements that differ from a private case. No website can determine whether a particular person has a viable lawsuit or qualifies for RECA compensation. Readers considering a civil toxic-exposure claim can review Phillips Law Group’s information on dangerous chemical and toxic products lawsuits or request a confidential case review.
| Question | Current, source-backed answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a single Coldwater Creek settlement? | The official federal option is RECA, a statutory compensation program—not a single private class-action settlement with one payout amount. [1] |
| Is there a Coldwater Creek lawsuit application? | There is no one-size-fits-all lawsuit application. People seeking federal compensation should use the DOJ RECA claim portal or the official Manhattan Project Waste claim form. [1] |
| Is there a Coldwater Creek payout date? | There is no universal payout date. The DOJ reviews claims individually; complete documentation and statutory eligibility drive the federal process. [1] |
Under the amended Manhattan Project Waste provisions, the relevant federal question is not simply whether a person lived near Coldwater Creek. In general, the Department of Justice says an applicant must establish at least two years of physical presence after January 1, 1949 in a designated ZIP code, followed by a qualifying diagnosis. Presence may be based on residence, work, or school attendance. The program’s exact statutory rules control, including special provisions that can affect a particular disease or survivor claim. [1]
For the Missouri Manhattan Project Waste category, the designated ZIP codes include portions of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County. This list is provided for information only; a ZIP code alone does not establish a claim.
| St. Louis County ZIP codes | St. Louis City and St. Charles County ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| 63031, 63033, 63034, 63042, 63043, 63044, 63045, 63074, 63114, 63121, 63134, 63135, 63138, 63140, 63145 | 63102, 63147, 63304, 63341, 63367, 63368 |
The current DOJ guidance lists compensable illnesses for Manhattan Project Waste applicants, including leukemia in specified circumstances, multiple myeloma, lymphomas other than Hodgkin’s disease, and listed primary cancers. Those listed cancers include thyroid, breast, esophagus, stomach, pharynx, small intestine, pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, salivary gland, urinary bladder, brain, colon, ovary, bone, renal system, liver in specified circumstances, and lung cancer. Because the program has precise disease and exposure conditions, the DOJ’s live RECA eligibility guidance should be used for the controlling list. [1]
What compensation may be available under RECA?
For an eligible Manhattan Project Waste claimant who is living when the claim is filed, the DOJ says the program provides the greater of $50,000 or documented, unreimbursed out-of-pocket medical expenses related to the covered illness. If the qualifying individual is deceased, the current statute provides $25,000 for a surviving spouse; if there is no surviving spouse, surviving children may receive equal shares. This is federal compensation, not a guaranteed Coldwater Creek cancer lawsuit settlement amount. [1]
The DOJ’s August 31, 2026 report recorded 23,599 Manhattan Project Waste claims received under the 2025 expansion, 5,403 approvals, and $244.3 million approved nationally. Those figures cover the full Manhattan Project Waste category, not Coldwater Creek alone. [2]
The electronic RECA portal is live. The DOJ cautions that creating a portal account is not the same as filing a claim; an application is not filed until the applicant completes the form and selects “Submit My Claim.” The agency recommends preparing certified or original medical records, proof of presence or employment, and identity or other life records before beginning. [3]
Protect yourself from RECA application scams.
Use official government resources to file or check a federal claim. St. Louis County warns residents about people who offer to complete applications for excessive fees or otherwise seek to exploit applicants. The current DOJ program page also provides fraud-reporting information. [1] [4]
In July 2025, JAMA Network Open published a cohort study of 4,209 participants that examined childhood residential proximity to Coldwater Creek and self-reported cancer incidence. The authors found an association between closer childhood residence and a higher risk of certain cancer outcomes during long-term follow-up, including a dose-response pattern. For participants who lived within one kilometer of the creek, the study reported a statistically elevated association with radiosensitive cancers compared with those who lived more than 20 kilometers away. [6]
This study is important, but it does not establish that Coldwater Creek caused any one person’s illness. It was observational research that used residential proximity as a measure related to possible exposure and included self-reported cancer information. The authors discussed those limitations. People with health concerns should speak with their medical providers. People reviewing legal or federal-compensation options should also use the official requirements that apply to their specific situation. [6]
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues work under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), which addresses radiological contamination associated with Manhattan Engineer District and Atomic Energy Commission activities. The St. Louis District’s FUSRAP page includes Coldwater Creek sampling resources, environmental monitoring reports, and North St. Louis County status maps dated August 2026. The agency explains that its sampling addresses FUSRAP contaminants of concern and does not assess unrelated contaminants that may be present. [7]
Cleanup activity remains a current issue for affected neighborhoods. In February 2026, St. Louis Public Radio reported that the Army Corps planned to demolish six homes in Florissant to access and remediate contaminated soil beneath the foundations. That report concerned a specific location; it should not be read to mean that every property near the creek is subject to the same work. [8]
A person researching a Coldwater Creek cancer lawsuit, a nuclear contamination lawsuit, or a St. Louis water contamination lawyer may have more than one question at once. The federal RECA route has objective statutory criteria. A separate toxic-exposure lawsuit may require a case-specific review of evidence, potential defendants, damages, deadlines, and applicable law. If you would like to discuss a possible private claim, Phillips Law Group can explain the next steps in a confidential consultation. For information about a different contaminated-water issue, see the firm’s PFAS contaminated water lawsuit resource.
Talk with Phillips Law Group about a possible toxic-exposure case
We can discuss a potential Coldwater Creek contamination lawsuit and explain how a civil case differs from the government’s RECA claims process.
The active official federal compensation pathway is RECA. It is a statutory program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, not a single private class-action settlement with a universal payment. Private civil claims are separate and depend on their individual facts. [1]
There is no single Coldwater Creek lawsuit application. For federal compensation, the current DOJ RECA portal accepts claims, and the listed deadline is December 31, 2027. A potential private claim can involve different deadlines. [1]
The DOJ describes RECA as a non-adversarial alternative to litigation. Under the Manhattan Project Waste provisions, the program uses statutory requirements for presence in a designated area and a compensable illness rather than requiring an eligible claimant to prove individual causation. [1]
The amended RECA law lists 21 Missouri ZIP codes in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County for the Manhattan Project Waste category. The full list and requirements appear above and on the DOJ RECA page. Being in a listed ZIP code by itself does not establish eligibility. [1]
The DOJ recommends certified or original materials that establish identity, qualifying physical presence, and a compensable illness. Depending on the claim, these may include medical records and certified school, employment, tax, vital, or other records showing residence, work, or school attendance. [3] [4]
A 2025 cohort study found an association between childhood residential proximity to Coldwater Creek and higher risk of certain cancer outcomes during long-term follow-up. The study does not determine the cause of an individual person’s cancer. [6]
This page provides general information, not legal or medical advice. The statutes, official program materials, and facts of an individual situation control. Phillips Law Group does not administer RECA claims, and an inquiry to the firm does not file a federal claim.
[1] U.S. Department of Justice, Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), updated August 31, 2026.
[2] U.S. Department of Justice, Awards to Date: August 31, 2026.
[3] U.S. Department of Justice, RECA Electronic Claim Portal.
[4] St. Louis County, RECA Resources and Documentation Guidance.
[5] Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center, RECA Request Information.
[7] U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District FUSRAP Program.
[8] St. Louis Public Radio, Army Corps cleanup work near Coldwater Creek (February 6, 2026).
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