(The hill) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is suing companies with a history of producing toxic “forever chemicals,” commonly referred to as PFAS, or products containing them, claiming they falsely advertised their safety .
Paxton alleged in his lawsuit that DuPont’s Teflon and 3M’s Scotchgard were among the products the companies sold to Texans while concealing “significant risks to consumers and the state.”
“Defendants marketed products containing harmful PFAS chemicals for over 70 years and were aware of the harmful effects of PFAS chemicals for over 50 years,” the lawsuit states.
“Despite this knowledge, defendants continued to market PFAS products and chemicals in Texas and elsewhere as safe for consumer use, misrepresenting their environmental and biological risks, and concealing dangers to the public,” it continued.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and is the name of a family of chemicals that are widely used in a range of consumer products, including nonstick pans and waterproof clothing and cosmetics.
The substances have also been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer, as well as problems with the thyroid, immune system and fertility.
They are sometimes called “perpetual chemicals” because they remain in the environment for a very long time instead of breaking down. They are ubiquitous on land and sea and are estimated to be in the blood of every American.
By filing the lawsuit, Texas joins a chorus of other states – red and blue alike File a lawsuit over the chemicals. Some of these lawsuits involved allegations of false advertising, while others sought compensation for alleged contamination.
But as a broad center of Republican politics, Texas’ lawsuit is significant.
DuPont spun off its division that makes products containing PFAS in 2015. In 2017, the company merged with Dow, but later separated – and formed another company called Corteva in 2019, which included some assets from both companies.
Therefore, the company now known as DuPont claims that it is not the same company as the company that made Teflon and other PFAS-containing products in the past.
In response to the lawsuit, DuPont spokesman Dan Turner said, “DuPont de Nemours has never manufactured PFOA or PFOS,” referring to two particularly toxic and relatively well-studied types of PFAS.
“While we do not comment on litigation, we believe this complaint is without merit and we look forward to vigorously defending our safety, health and environmental record,” Turner said in an email.
The Hill reached out to spokespeople for 3M and Corteva, which were also sued by Texas.
