Rescuers in Connecticut are asking for millions from 3M, DuPont, and other businesses because they were exposed to dangerous levels of “forever chemicals” in rescue equipment.
According to a national class-action lawsuit filed this year, the firefighters claim they have “experienced mild biological changes in their bodies, which put them at greater risk of developing severe health conditions, including but not limited to different cancers.”
3M, a company based in Minnesota, stated in a statement that it will “address PFAS dispute by defending itself in judge or through negotiated proposals, as appropriate.”
” As the science and technology of PFAS, societal and governmental aspirations, and our expectations of ourselves have evolved, but has how we manage PFAS”, 3M said.
Nearly two hundred chemical manufacturers and companies, including Honeywell and Gore, are named in the lawsuit, which is brought by various firefighter unions and unique firefighters. The lawsuit asks for more than$ 5 million for product liability violations in Connecticut.
” Defendants knew the tools, materials and substances to be uncomfortable but represented the opposite”, the coat states, and businesses failed to warn about” specific, significant risks to human health, earning immensely”.
3M struck a$ 12.5 billion settlement with water suppliers , next year, though experts have predicted 3M may include billions more to pay out in other PFAS circumstances, particularly personal liability suit.
Additionally, 3M and other businesses face thousands of lawsuits for firefighting foams that had high levels of PFAS and allegedly caused cancer.
The business was the first to incorporate PFAS into medical equipment like Scotchgard. They do n’t decompose in the environment and can accumulate in human bloodstreams thanks to the strong chemical bonds that make them useful for waterproofing and heat resistance. This is ideal for firefighting gear. Some PFAS chemicals have been linked to a number of harmful health effects by researchers.
By the end of the year, 3M intends to stop making and selling PFAS.
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