This story was written by Sara Wilson. Colorado Newsline on February 28, 2022.
Phil Weiser, the Colorado Attorney General, filed a lawsuit Monday against companies producing PFAS. These chemicals are man-made chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other serious diseases.
Denver District Court filed the complaint against 15 manufacturers including Chemguard Corteva, DuPont, and Chemguard. The complaint alleges that these companies should know about the extreme health hazards associated with firefighting products before marketing them and distributing them.
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are components in aqueous foam forming foam (AFFF). These substances are used to combat high-hazard fires such as chemical fires and jet fuel fires. PFAS can also be found in cookware and cleaning products. It is persistent in the environment for an extremely lengthy time. It has been linked with cancer, kidney disease, serious birth defects, and lower vaccine efficacy.
Companies responsible for producing firefighting foam containing toxic forever chemicals and selling it in Colorado for use in the state long before they knew or should have known about its harmful nature have caused harm to our communities. Weiser stated that Colorado now has forever chemicals in its soil and drinking water systems, and that people’s health is at stake.
A map taken from the non-profit Environmental Working GroupIt is evident that Colorado has a high level of PFAS contamination, especially in Colorado Springs and near military bases. The lawsuit states that AFFF was used at Buckley Air Force Base and Peterson Air Force Base as well as Fort Carson and other federally-regulated airfields. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has released a 2020 showing that PFAS contamination was detected in 34% of the drinking water systems.
Weiser asks for a court order requiring the companies to investigate and restore any sites where AFFF was released. The lawsuit charges the defendants with negligence, public nuisance and unjust enrichment. It accuses DuPont and Chemours, as well as Corteva, of violating Colorado Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
These companies knew these chemicals posed serious threats to the environment and Colorado was at risk. Weiser stated that it is crucial that they compensate for the damage they caused.
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