New York Sues Companies Over ‘Forever Chemicals’

On Thursday, the New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against several chemical and manufacturing giants, including 3M and DuPont. The lawsuit accuses these companies of continuing to expose consumers to products containing harmful chemicals, despite being aware of the associated health risks and environmental damage.

Attorney General Letitia James stated, “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.”

The chemicals in question, known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), have been utilized in various products such as nonstick cookware, makeup, dental floss, food packaging, and possibly leggings. Initially celebrated for their water- and oil-repellent properties, PFAS have since been linked to serious health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, decreased fertility in women, and developmental delays in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS do not break down and instead accumulate in both the environment and the human body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly everyone in the United States has been exposed to PFAS and has detectable levels in their blood. These chemicals have also been found in wildlife.

Judith Enck, president of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics and a former E.P.A. official, emphasized, “There’s a very well-documented body of science that these chemicals cause serious health harm. This is a blockbuster legal action that should hold these companies accountable for the immense harm caused by their products.”

The lawsuit alleges that products manufactured by 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva violated New Yorkers’ rights to clean air and water, alongside consumer protection laws. The companies are accused of persistent fraud by failing to inform the public about the health and environmental risks associated with their products.

According to the lawsuit, “3M was aware of and repeatedly acknowledged internally the substantial risks posed by PFAS as early as the 1960s.” A 1963 report described some of these chemicals as “completely resistant to biological attack.” By 1976, 3M had confirmed PFAS presence in the blood of its employees and the general public.

Similarly, DuPont was aware of the toxicity of a type of PFAS as early as 1961 and confirmed that “continued exposure is not tolerable.” However, the company did not disclose its findings to the public, as stated in the lawsuit.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, when a court order forced DuPont to release thousands of internal documents, that the dangers of PFAS became widely known.

The companies named in the lawsuit have not yet responded to requests for comment. They have faced numerous lawsuits over PFAS contamination. For instance, in 2023, 3M reached a $10.3 billion settlement, to be paid over 13 years, with U.S. cities and towns over claims of PFAS contamination in drinking water.

The current lawsuit seeks to compel the companies to fund cleanup efforts throughout New York and to warn consumers about the risks associated with their products. Additionally, it demands damages for the harm caused to the state and its residents, along with restitution and other financial penalties.

This lawsuit marks New York’s first legal action regarding forever chemicals in consumer products. Previously, the state had sued many of the same companies over cleanup costs related to PFAS in firefighting foam. However, towns and counties have been engaged in similar battles for years.

This summer, DuPont is expected to pay $27 million to residents of Hoosick Falls, a village in upstate New York, finalizing a 2021 settlement involving thousands of residents and a group of chemical companies, including Saint-Gobain, Honeywell, and 3M.

The state lawsuit follows a recent decision by the Trump administration to roll back some limits on PFAS in drinking water, which had been established in 2024 under former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Additionally, last week, the E.P.A. approved several pesticides that may contain forever chemicals, raising further concerns among experts.

On Thursday, the New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against several chemical and manufacturing giants, including 3M and DuPont. The lawsuit accuses these companies of continuing to expose consumers to products containing harmful chemicals, despite being aware of the associated health risks and environmental damage.

Attorney General Letitia James stated, “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.”

The chemicals in question, known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), have been utilized in various products such as nonstick cookware, makeup, dental floss, food packaging, and possibly leggings. Initially celebrated for their water- and oil-repellent properties, PFAS have since been linked to serious health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, decreased fertility in women, and developmental delays in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS do not break down and instead accumulate in both the environment and the human body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly everyone in the United States has been exposed to PFAS and has detectable levels in their blood. These chemicals have also been found in wildlife.

Judith Enck, president of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics and a former E.P.A. official, emphasized, “There’s a very well-documented body of science that these chemicals cause serious health harm. This is a blockbuster legal action that should hold these companies accountable for the immense harm caused by their products.”

The lawsuit alleges that products manufactured by 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva violated New Yorkers’ rights to clean air and water, alongside consumer protection laws. The companies are accused of persistent fraud by failing to inform the public about the health and environmental risks associated with their products.

According to the lawsuit, “3M was aware of and repeatedly acknowledged internally the substantial risks posed by PFAS as early as the 1960s.” A 1963 report described some of these chemicals as “completely resistant to biological attack.” By 1976, 3M had confirmed PFAS presence in the blood of its employees and the general public.

Similarly, DuPont was aware of the toxicity of a type of PFAS as early as 1961 and confirmed that “continued exposure is not tolerable.” However, the company did not disclose its findings to the public, as stated in the lawsuit.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, when a court order forced DuPont to release thousands of internal documents, that the dangers of PFAS became widely known.

The companies named in the lawsuit have not yet responded to requests for comment. They have faced numerous lawsuits over PFAS contamination. For instance, in 2023, 3M reached a $10.3 billion settlement, to be paid over 13 years, with U.S. cities and towns over claims of PFAS contamination in drinking water.

The current lawsuit seeks to compel the companies to fund cleanup efforts throughout New York and to warn consumers about the risks associated with their products. Additionally, it demands damages for the harm caused to the state and its residents, along with restitution and other financial penalties.

This lawsuit marks New York’s first legal action regarding forever chemicals in consumer products. Previously, the state had sued many of the same companies over cleanup costs related to PFAS in firefighting foam. However, towns and counties have been engaged in similar battles for years.

This summer, DuPont is expected to pay $27 million to residents of Hoosick Falls, a village in upstate New York, finalizing a 2021 settlement involving thousands of residents and a group of chemical companies, including Saint-Gobain, Honeywell, and 3M.

The state lawsuit follows a recent decision by the Trump administration to roll back some limits on PFAS in drinking water, which had been established in 2024 under former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Additionally, last week, the E.P.A. approved several pesticides that may contain forever chemicals, raising further concerns among experts.