PFAS linked to cancer, developmental delays, lawsuit alleges
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit Thursday against a group of major chemical and agricultural companies, accusing them of knowingly selling products containing toxic PFAS chemicals. The lawsuit names 3M, DuPont de Nemours, The Chemours Company, Corteva, and other manufacturers, and targets PFAS used in cosmetics, non-stick cookware, and other consumer goods.
“Big companies like 3M and DuPont knowingly sold toxic products that threatened New Yorkers’ health and polluted our environment for decades. It’s time for them to pay for the damage they caused,” James said in a statement.
PFAS, sometimes called forever chemicals, have been linked to an elevated risk of certain cancers and developmental delays in children. The lawsuit, entered in state court in Albany, is the latest legal action over PFAS. It seeks to require the companies to fund environmental cleanup efforts in New York and to issue warnings to consumers.
The suit asserts that in some cases, the companies were aware the chemicals were toxic or could cause environmental damage. DuPont, 3M, Corteva, and Chemours did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.