Texas Sues Dupont and 3M Over Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’
Cattle killed by PFAS contamination in Texas, U.S. 2024. X/ @NYFarmer
December 13, 2024 Hour: 11:58 am
Nearly 50 public water systems across this state have reported contamination with per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Texas is suing companies including DuPont and 3M, charging them of having made products containing toxic “forever chemicals” commonly known as PFAS and falsely advertising over their safety.
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DuPont’s Teflon and 3M’s Scotchgard were among products sold to Texans and concealing “substantial risks from consumers and the State,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in the lawsuit.
“Defendants marketed products containing harmful PFAS chemicals for over 70 years and were aware of the harmful effects of PFAS chemicals for over 50 years,” the lawsuit said.
Texas has found PFAS contamination in some drinking water systems, according to a report from the Texas Tribune, noting that nearly 50 public water systems across the state have reported exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s newly released PFAS limits for drinking water.
According to a report by The Hill, several states have already filed lawsuits over the chemicals. Some of these suits have alleged false advertising, while others have sought compensation for alleged contamination.
In 2022, 3M announced plans to exit PFAS manufacturing by 2025 in response to growing environmental and legal pressures. DuPont spun off its division that makes PFAS-containing products in 2015.
PFAS, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is the name of a family of manmade chemicals widely used in a range of consumer products.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua