PFAS Litigation—Like PFAS Itself—Is All Over the Place: Current State of Litigation
With pressure mounting on the federal and state governments to more tightly regulate PFAS, these "forever chemicals" may well be the contemporary version of asbestos or PCBs when it comes to environmental litigation.
July 22, 2023 at 02:52 PM
7 minute read
Special SectionsPFAS, short for per- and polyfluorinated substances, are a class of chemicals used to make heat, grease, and water-resistant coatings. These chemicals have been used in a wide variety of products ranging from non-stick pans to personal care items to firefighting foams. PFAS are extremely durable chemicals deriving their utility from strong molecular bonds. However, those bonds also prevent PFAS from degrading in the environment. Given their widespread use, they can be found virtually everywhere, including in myriad consumer and other products, and in soil and groundwater—including on farmland and other sites not typically associated with environmental contamination. Moreover, EPA and state regulators have determined that exposure to almost any level of PFAS can result in health risks. Consequently, it's no surprise that PFAS regulation and lawsuits involving PFAS exposure and contamination have recently proliferated, and continue to be in the spotlight. This article provides background information on federal PFAS regulation and surveys the current landscape of PFAS litigation.
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