Tennessee’s attorney general Thursday announced a lawsuit against several of the largest chemical manufacturers in the country for the health damage he says they caused to Tennesseeans.
Companies including 3M, DuPont, and Chemours create products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. One of those products, according to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R), is called Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).
“Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) containing PFAS has been used for firefighting training and emergency response at military and industrial facilities, airports, and other locations throughout Tennessee,” says a press release from Skrmetti’s office.
Skrmetti’s office claims that the AFFF producers knew that the product released dangerous PFAS chemicals that would harm Tennessee’s environment and Tennesseeans themselves but that the companies intentionally hid that fact.
The lawsuit alleges further corruption, saying that the companies even fraudulently transferred assets to protect themselves from liabilities associated with PFAS chemicals.
The side effects of PFAS chemicals are robust.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has concluded that exposure to PFAS may lead to negative health effects, including but not limited to decreased fertility, pregnancy complications, adverse developmental effects in children, and increased risk of cancer,” the press release says.
Now, Skrmetti is demanding accountability.
“PFAS are ‘forever chemicals’ that are accumulating in our bodies and our kids’ bodies,” he said. “Manufacturers continued to produce and profit from these chemicals long after they were aware of the dangers. We will hold them accountable. We will fight to obtain serious compensation from every one of these defendants to ensure we can clean up our environment and stop the harms associated with PFAS.”
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner David Sylers said a successful lawsuit will ultimately make Tennesseans safer.
“Tennessee has an abundance of natural resources that support community health and prosperity,” he said. “This litigation helps to ensure that Tennessee residents have a cleaner and safer environment.”
The state is requesting injunctive and monetary relief, which would both stop manufacturers from producing the chemical, and also hold them financially accountable for the damage that the state claims has already been done.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Jonathan Skrmetti” by Tennessee Attorney General. Background Photo “3M Building” by 3M.
