For decades, academic researchers have linked PFAS chemicals to a large variety of health issues, including infertility, obesity, childhood developmental effects, immunodeficiency, and even cancer. And to the concern of many Americans, PFAS have become so widespread in the United States that they’ve contaminated roughly 45% of our drinking water.
Today, over 15,000 people have joined the PFAS lawsuit after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and other serious illnesses. If you live in an area with heavy PFAS contamination or you’ve gotten sick because of PFAS, here’s what you need to know about the ongoing lawsuit.
When were PFAS chemicals invented?
In the 1940s, PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) were first produced by a company named 3M after chemists discovered their water and oil-resistant properties during a lab accident. In the following decade, the chemical manufacturing company DuPont began distributing a type of PFAS called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) under the brand name Teflon.
By the 1960s, Teflon-coated cooking pans were sold across the United States and widely praised for their non-stick abilities. Several more types of PFAS chemicals (like PFOA and PFOS) were also created to add water and stain-resistant properties to food packaging, fabrics, firefighting foam, and many other household products.
For over 30 years, Americans continued to use Teflon pans and buy waterproof goods without any idea of the health concerns that 3M and DuPont were hiding from the public.
How did the PFAS lawsuit begin?
If you’ve seen the movie Dark Waters, then you already know about how the PFAS crisis first started in the late 1990s. A farmer named Wilbur Tennant, along with former corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott, filed a lawsuit against DuPont after making a terrible discovery about a West Virginia landfill creek. The creek, which was nearby a DuPont chemical plant, contained an “extraordinarily high concentration of PFOA” that killed over 100 of Tennant’s cows.
Not long after Tennant’s lawsuit was settled in the early 2000s, dozens of research papers and academic studies revealed just how harmful PFAS could be for humans and animals. Scientists discovered that PFAS could possibly take thousands of years to break down in the environment, which is why they’re often called “forever chemicals.”
Repeated PFAS exposure was also found to cause a variety of negative health effects, and thousands of Americans who lived in heavily contaminated areas became sick. Many of them have since filed lawsuits against 3M and DuPont to be compensated for their losses.
Ways you could be exposed to PFAS
Though many American manufacturers no longer produce PFAS, there are still plenty of ways you could accidentally be exposed. PFAS can be identified in hundreds of household products, but they are most commonly found in:
- Tap water (in some areas)
- Many cleaning products
- Nonstick cookware (Teflon)
- Some brands of toilet paper
- Some shampoos
- Some dental floss products
- Some contraceptive products, like condoms
- Some menstrual pads, tampons, and reusable period underwear
- Some soft contact lenses
- Waterproof makeup
- Some nail polishes
- Stain-resistant carpets and upholstery
- Some paints, sealants, and varnishes
- Herbicides and pesticides
- Some types of firefighting foam
- Water-resistant fabrics (rain jackets, umbrellas, tents, etc.)
If you’re not sure how to reduce your PFAS exposure, we’ve listed out a few easy ways that can give you a good place to start.
How to join the PFAS lawsuit
If you or someone in your family was diagnosed with kidney or testicular cancer after being exposed to PFAS, we can help you sue for a settlement. To get help with your PFAS claim, take 60 seconds to request a FREE case review and see if you’re eligible for the lawsuit.
