WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - New Hanover County filed a lawsuit in the county superior court on Jan. 12 against several PFAS manufacturers and companies selling products that use or include PFAS.
The lawsuit targets manufacturers and sellers with the goal of holding them responsible for PFAS contamination in local waters. It also takes aim at the use of PFAS in firefighting foam as well.
The companies named include Chemours, DuPont, 3M, AGC Chemicals Americas, Deepwater Chemicals, National Ford Chemical Company, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Tyco Fire Products and others.
The county has spent millions trying to clean up the contaminated drinking water. Commissioners say it’s time for the companies to pay the county.
County leaders say the companies literally created a toxic environment.
County commissioners like Rob Zapple say the worst part is, that the companies did it knowingly.
Excerpt from the lawsuit:
"In 1978, based on information it had received from 3M about elevated and persistent organic fluorine levels in workers exposed to PFOA, DuPont initiated a plan to review and monitor the health conditions of potentially exposed workers to assess whether any negative health effects were attributable to PFOA exposure."
"In 1980, 3M published data in peer reviewed literature showing that humans retain PFOS in their bodies for years."
"Beginning in 1983, 3M documented a trend of increasing levels of PFOS in the bodies of 3M workers."
https://www.wect.com/2024/01/16/new-hanover-county-files-lawsuit-aimed-companies-manufacturing-using-pfas/