By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) – DuPont (NYSE:), 3M, Honeywell (NASDAQ:) and 16 different defendants have been sued on Tuesday by Connecticut firefighters who stated their protecting gear was contaminated by poisonous “without end chemical compounds” linked to most cancers.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs stated they believed the proposed class motion filed within the New Haven, Connecticut federal courtroom is the primary to completely goal firefighter gear containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
The Uniformed Skilled Hearth Fighters Affiliation of Connecticut, 5 different unions and 5 firefighters sued on behalf of firefighters throughout the state, together with cities comparable to Hartford and Stamford.
They stated jackets, pants and different “turnout gear” leeched PFAS into firefighters by way of their pores and skin, ingestion and inhalation, and that extra PFAS is absorbed as temperatures rise and sweat builds up.
The plaintiffs stated that led to “subclinical mobile modifications of their our bodies which put them at elevated danger of growing antagonistic well being situations,” justifying not less than $5 million of damages for violations of Connecticut product legal responsibility legislation.
DuPont and 3M produced PFAS used within the protecting gear, whereas a Honeywell subsidiary was among the many gear’s sellers, and did not warn of the dangers, the criticism stated.
In an announcement, DuPont stated the lawsuit was with out advantage, and that “we look ahead to vigorously defending our report of security, well being and environmental stewardship.”
DuPont additionally stated it has by no means manufactured PFOA and PFOS, that are two varieties of PFAS that the plaintiffs alleged have been used of their gear.
Neither 3M nor Honeywell instantly responded to requests for remark.
PFAS are present in lots of of shopper and business merchandise together with cosmetics, non-stick pans and stain-resistant clothes.
They earned the sobriquet “without end chemical compounds” as a result of they don’t break down simply within the human physique or setting.
PFAS have been linked to destructive well being results together with larger ldl cholesterol, low delivery weights and lowered antibody response to vaccines, in addition to kidney and testicular most cancers.
Final 12 months, DuPont, 3M and two different firms reached greater than $11 billion of settlements to resolve claims that firefighting foam and different merchandise containing their PFAS polluted consuming water. None admitted wrongdoing.
The case is Uniformed Skilled Hearth Fighters Affiliation of Connecticut et al v 3M Co et al, U.S. District Courtroom, District of Connecticut, No. 24-01101.
