The California Attorney General sued 3M Co 
MMMDuPont de Nemours Inc 
DD and many other companies to recoup the “staggering” costs of cleaning up toxic pollutants known as “chemicals forever”.
Attorney General Rob Bonta said the lawsuit followed a multi-year investigation that found that companies have been marketing products containing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for decades despite knowing they cause cancer, developmental defects and other health problems. . Bonta said the lawsuit could eventually ask for hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and costs.
DuPont has never produced PFOA, PFOS, or fire fighting foam, spokesman Daniel Turner said, referring to two PFAS substances. He added that the company believes the complaint incorrectly refers to it as a defendant. “We believe these complaints are unfounded … We look forward to vigorously uphold our record of safety, health and environmental protection.”
3M spokesperson Carolyn LaViolette said in a statement that the company “has acted responsibly in relation to products containing PFAS and will defend its environmental management record.”
Substances are known as chemicals forever due to the length of their stay in the human body and the environment.
They have been mass-produced since the 1950s and used in products such as fire fighting foams, non-stick pans, and personal care items.
Bonta said the defendants created a public nuisance and demanded to pay to clean up the PFAS, which he says has been found in drinking water, rivers, lakes, wildlife and blood streams by about 98 percent. of the approximately 39 million people of California.
“The damage caused by 3M, DuPont and other PFAS manufacturers is nothing short of astounding, and without drastic action, California will face the damage of these toxic chemicals for generations,” Bonta said.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against chemical companies over the past two decades for damage to health and the environment caused by PFAS, potentially leading to billions of dollars in liability.
Thursday’s lawsuit was filed in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and is the first statewide lawsuit for PFAS contamination.
It denounces violations of state consumer protection and environmental laws and invokes the federal Superfund law, which establishes a path to recover the costs of cleaning up hazardous substances.
In June, in the United States, chemicals forever could be dangerous even at undetectable levels.
