Florida is suing certain manufacturers of firefighting foams. They are accused of polluting the environment, and possibly sickening people with chemicals.
In mid-April, Ashley Moodys office, Attorney General, filed suit in Hillsborough circuit Court. The attorneys for the states accuse several businesses, including DuPont de Nemours, Inc., The Chemours Company FC, LLC, Tyco Fire Products, Chemguard, Inc., and The Chemours Company FC, LLC, of using materials which could cause cancer and other illnesses. These substances are commonly known as forever chemicals.
According to the Attorney Generals Office the companies failed to warn customers and the public about this danger.
Florida’s case follows similar lawsuits by other states and agencies. These include Tampa Bay Water, which controls most of the region’s drinking water, as well as the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority which manages Tampa International Airport.
Kylie Mason, spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, declined to comment. She stated that the case is ongoing and active. When asked why she filed it in Hillsborough, the attorney general from Plant City said: There are many locations in the state where contaminations have occurred, and Hillsborough is one.
Moodys complaint lists several locations in Florida where firefighting sprays were used, including Tampa’s Hillsborough Community College Fire Academy at 5610 East Columbus Drive.
Other locations include the Florida State Fire College, Pensacola Fire Department, and Miami-Dade College Fire Academy. According to the lawsuit, foams were used for decades to suppress fires that burn liquid fuel at military bases and airports.
Moody’s office accuses manufacturers for multiple offenses, including negligence as well as creating a public nuisance. The lawyers for the states stated that dangerous chemicals could have leaked into the ground and contaminated drinking water.
According to the complaint foams can contain per- and/or polyfluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals take extremely long to degrade in the environment, and are often called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). According to the lawsuit, they were also used as stainmaster carpets and Teflon.
According to the lawsuit, long-term exposure to chemicals may cause problems such as thyroid disease, kidney, testicular, and high cholesterol. Moody’s office claims that manufacturers knew or should have known firefighting foams could pose a danger to people and the environment.
The complaint does not detail how much Florida is seeking in compensation or any other sanctions. However it states that Florida has already paid for costs to investigate contamination and anticipates additional costs for environmental cleanup and the care of sick residents.
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A spokesperson for DuPont de Nemours said that the company is a new multiindustrial specialty products company and does not sell firefighting foam. The spokesperson stated that the complaint was without merit.
Moodys filing charges DuPont with a scheme that involved transferring assets to avoid liability and make it difficult for states in their efforts to recover money. According to the lawyers, DuPont has violated Florida’s Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
Tyco spokespersons stated that they do not comment on ongoing litigation. Multiple emails were not returned by representatives of Chemours seeking comment. Chemguard’s spokesperson did not return multiple voicemails.
