Key facts
- 3M, DuPont, and Honeywell must face a lawsuit from Connecticut firefighters over 'forever chemicals' in protective gear.
- The lawsuit alleges that PFAS in turnout gear leached chemicals through skin absorption, ingestion, and inhalation.
- U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson ruled that unions had organizational standing and firefighters could seek damages and medical monitoring.
- The judge found that 3M owed a duty to warn about PFAS risks and committed negligence.
- PFAS in the gear included 3M's Scotchlite reflective material and DuPont's Kevlar; Honeywell manufactured the turnout gear.
- Some DuPont liabilities now belong to spinoffs Chemours and Corteva.
A federal judge on Tuesday allowed a class-action lawsuit to proceed against more than 20 defendants, including 3M, DuPont, and Honeywell, brought by Connecticut firefighters who claim their protective gear was contaminated by toxic "forever chemicals." U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson in Hartford, Connecticut, ruled that the unions representing the firefighters had organizational standing and that individual firefighters could seek damages and medical monitoring, even if they had not yet shown symptoms of cancer or other diseases.
The lawsuit, initiated in June 2024, is reportedly the first to exclusively target firefighter gear containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Plaintiffs allege that the "turnout gear," designed to shield against extreme heat and flames, leached these chemicals through skin absorption, ingestion, and inhalation. The judge found that the plaintiffs sufficiently alleged that 3M, a major PFAS manufacturer, had a duty to warn about the risks and committed negligence.
PFAS, known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the body and environment, are found in numerous consumer and commercial products. They have been linked to various health issues, including higher cholesterol, low birth weight, and reduced antibody response to vaccines. In 2023, DuPont, 3M, and two other companies reached a settlement exceeding $11 billion to resolve claims of PFAS pollution in drinking water, though they did not admit wrongdoing.
According to the complaint, PFAS present in the firefighters' gear included 3M's Scotchlite reflective material and DuPont's Kevlar, while Honeywell manufactured the turnout gear. Some of DuPont's liabilities related to PFAS have since transferred to its spinoffs, Chemours and Corteva. Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while a lawyer for the plaintiffs hailed the decision as significant for establishing legal standing based on prolonged exposure.