PFAS CONTAMINATION

The firm actively advises state, territorial, and municipal governments on their efforts to address widespread contamination of air, land, and water by polyfluoroalkyl and perfluroalkyl substances, known as “PFAS.” These man-made chemicals, including PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA, were used for decades to make a wide range of products, such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabric and carpets, water-repellent clothing, food packaging, and fire-fighting foams. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment and the human body. They have been linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals, including certain cancers, immunological and reproductive effects, and other health issues.

In 2018, the firm was selected with its co-counsel to represent the State of New Jersey’s Attorney General in asserting claims concerning PFAS contamination throughout the State, where PFAS compounds have been detected in drinking water, groundwater, surface waters, sediments, soils, air, animals, plants, and other natural resources. New Jersey’s Attorney General retained the firm and its co-counsel to pursue claims against DuPont, Chemours, 3M, and other companies associated with extensive PFAS contamination at three major manufacturing facilities in New Jersey. The State’s lawsuits seek to require the defendants to pay all of the costs necessary to investigate and delineate the PFAS compounds that were discharged, released, and emitted from these sites, as well as all costs necessary to remediate and restore each site and all off-site areas that have been contaminated by pollutants from the sites. In addition, the firm and its co-counsel have been retained to prosecute claims against numerous companies for manufacturing and selling firefighting foam products, known as aqueous film-forming foam (“AFFF”), in New Jersey for decades despite knowing those products released PFAS chemicals into the environment.