New York sues 3M, DuPont, others over toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in consumer goods

July 9 (Reuters) – New York sued 3M, DuPont and other companies on Thursday for harming the environment and people’s health by selling “forever chemicals” that they knew were toxic, for use in consumer products.

The state’s Attorney General Letitia James accused the companies of hiding the risks of chemicals known as PFAS from the public for decades, even as they began phasing out some of the chemicals.

She also said the defendants did nothing to materially reduce the public nuisance that their manufacture and sale of the chemicals contributed to for decades.

Other defendants include Chemours, Corteva and EIDP, which were part of DuPont prior to spinoffs. James wants the companies to fund cleanup efforts, properly warn consumers about the risks, and pay damages, restitution and civil fines.

The defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“For far too long, our communities have unfairly shouldered the costs of protecting people from these toxic forever chemicals and cleaning up their contamination,” James said in a statement. “I look forward to ensuring the companies responsible for PFAS pollution are held accountable.”

The lawsuit was filed in a state court in Albany, New York’s state capital.

CHEMOURS SETTLEMENT WITH U.S. DREW CRITICISM

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are found in hundreds of consumer and commercial products including cosmetics, non-stick pans and stain-resistant clothing.

They are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the human body or environment. PFAS have been linked to negative health effects including higher cholesterol, low birth weight, reduced antibody response to vaccines, and kidney and testicular cancer.

In May 2025, 3M agreed to pay New Jersey up to $450 million over 25 years to settle claims its forever chemicals contaminated drinking water in the state.

Last month, Chemours reached a $450 million settlement with the U.S. government to resolve charges its chemicals polluted waterways in New Jersey, North Carolina and West Virginia.

Though Chemours’ settlement was the federal government’s first to resolve pollution claims against a maker of PFAS, some environmental groups called it inadequate. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson, both Democrats, called the accord reached with President Donald Trump’s administration a “backroom deal” that did “virtually nothing” to help their state’s residents.

In May, Trump’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it would roll back some limits on PFAS in drinking water that former President Joe Biden’s administration established in 2024.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio)