Judge Orders 3M, DuPont to Face Lawsuit Over Toxic Firefighter Gear
A federal judge in Connecticut has ruled that 3M, DuPont, and Honeywell must face claims by firefighter unions and individual firefighters who say their protective gear was contaminated with toxic 'forever chemicals' called PFAS. The plaintiffs claim that these chemicals increased their risk of cancer.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants' products, including 3M's Scotchlite reflective material and DuPont's Kevlar, leached PFAS through absorption into skin, ingestion, and inhalation. The judge found that the plaintiffs had 'organizational' standing to seek damages, and firefighters could seek damages and medical monitoring even if they had no outward symptoms of cancer.
The decision is significant because it establishes a precedent for liability in cases involving firefighter gear contaminated with PFAS. In 2023, DuPont, 3M, and two other companies reached more than $11 billion in settlements to resolve claims that firefighting foam and other products containing their PFAS polluted drinking water.
The lawsuit began in June 2024, and lawyers for the defendants have not commented on the decision. The plaintiffs' lawyer, Jennifer Sclar, said that the ruling was significant because it found that prolonged exposure to PFAS from turnout gear justified legal standing.