LANSING, Mich. — The State of Michigan is suing over a dozen companies that it is blaming for the PFAS contamination across the state.
The lawsuit, announced Tuesday by Attorney General Dana Nessel, names 3M and DuPont and seeks damages for the problems caused by PFAS, a likely carcinogen. It is the first legal action taken by Michigan against who officials say produced the chemical.
The state alleges the defendants deliberately concealed the dangers PFAS poses and knowingly sold and distributed products using the chemical in a way that they knew would contaminate the environment and harm people.
Companies included in the lawsuit include:
- 3M;
- DuPont;
- The Chemours Co., a spinoff of DuPont, and its subsidiary (The Chemours Co. FC LLX);
- Corteva Inc., another DuPont spinoff which was part of Defendant Dow DuPont;
- Dyneon LLC;
- Archroma entities;
- Arkema entities;
- AGC Chemicals Americas Inc.;
- Daikin Industries entities;
- Solvay Specialty Polymers, USA LLC;
- Asahi Kasei Plastics North America Inc.
“We bring this action today on behalf of the people of Michigan,” Nessel said in a relase. “It is our responsibility to protect our residents and our state’s natural resources and property by preventing and abating hazards to public health, safety, welfare and the environment – and by placing the responsibility for this massive undertaking with those responsible for creating the problem.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state’s leaders are holding polluters accountable.
“Since taking office, I’ve been deliberate and focused on protecting our Great Lakes and cleaning up our drinking water,” she said. “Michigan has been established as a national leader in identifying, monitoring and addressing contamination caused by PFAS. As such, we must continue to protect communities all across our state from harmful PFAS chemicals by holding polluters accountable. Future generations of Michiganders are counting on us to get to work today.”
A copy of the lawsuit is available on the state’s website.
