Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) – DuPont (NYSE:), 3M, Honeywell (NASDAQ:) and 16 other defendants were sued on Tuesday by Connecticut firefighters who said their protective gear was contaminated with toxic “forever chemicals” linked to cancer.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they believe the proposed class action, filed in federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, is the first to specifically target fire equipment containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
The Connecticut Professional Uniformed Firefighters Association, five other unions and five firefighters filed the lawsuits on behalf of firefighters across the state, including cities like Hartford and Stamford.
They said jackets, pants and other “protective gear” were reaching firefighters through skin, ingestion and inhalation, and that as temperatures rise and sweat accumulates, more PFAS is absorbed.
The plaintiffs said it resulted in “subclinical cellular changes in their bodies that put them at increased risk of developing adverse health conditions,” justifying at least $5 million in damages for violating Connecticut’s product liability law.
DuPont and 3M produced PFAS used in protective equipment, while a Honeywell subsidiary was among the sellers of the equipment and failed to warn about the risks, the complaint said.
In a statement, DuPont said the lawsuit was without merit and that “we look forward to vigorously defending our safety, health and environmental achievements.”
DuPont also said it never produced PFOA or PFOS, the two types of PFAS that the plaintiffs allege were used in their gear.
Neither 3M nor Honeywell immediately responded to requests for comment.
PFAS are found in hundreds of consumer and commercial products, including cosmetics, nonstick pans and stain-resistant clothing.
They have earned the nickname “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the human body or the environment.
PFAS are associated with negative health effects, including increased cholesterol levels, low birth weight and decreased antibody responses to vaccines, as well as kidney and testicular cancer.
Last year, DuPont, 3M and two other companies reached more than $11 billion in settlements to resolve claims that firefighting foam and other products containing their PFAS contaminated drinking water. Nobody admitted their guilt.
The case is Connecticut Professional Uniformed Firefighters Association et al. v. 3M Co et al., U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, No. 24-01101.