PFAS Litigation Heating Up As State Hires Private Law Firm

As the growing scrutiny of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals mounts, increased regulations and enforcement seem imminent, as does an onslaught of lawsuits against companies considered responsible for releasing the compounds into the environment.

PFAS chemicals include more than 4,000 different chemical compounds and are widely used in everyday products, including stain and water-resistant fabrics and carpeting, cleaning products, cookware, paints and fire extinguishing foams. There are growing concerns over potential health effects of a small subset of PFAS compounds. Two of the most concerning - PFOA and PFOS - are no longer manufactured in the United States. However, the compounds are slow to breakdown in the environment, and may still be detectable in many locations.