Texas AG Targets 3M, DuPont for Allegedly Shrouding PFAS Safety
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued 3M Co. and DuPont de Nemours Inc. on Wednesday, alleging that the chemical manufacturers misled consumers about the safety of their products that contained per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.
PFAS have been used in products that are marketed as non-stick or waterproof like Teflon, Stainmaster, and Scotchgard. But the chemicals, known as “forever chemicals,” can build up in animals, plants, and drinking water, posing risks to human health and the environment.
3M and DuPont knew about the dangers of these chemicals but continued to market their use in household products, with ads portraying families and pets, Paxton’s suit claims.
The lawsuit, filed in the district court of Johnson County in Texas, alleges that the companies violated a state law concerning deceptive trade practices and consumer protection. The state is seeking monetary relief of $1 million or more.
3M and Dupont have faced a barrage of PFAS-related lawsuits over the past decade. The companies have struck multi-billion-dollar settlements to resolve the allegations.
3M did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company said in 2022 that it would stop manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025.
“While we don’t comment on litigation matters, we believe this complaint is without merit, and we look forward to vigorously defending our record of safety, health and environmental stewardship,” DuPont said in an emailed statement.
The suit also names as defendants two other DuPont-related businesses: Corteva Inc. and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., formerly part of a conglomerate formed when DuPont merged with the Dow Chemical Co. DuPont in 2019 spun off the Dow Inc. commodity-chemical business and the Corteva Inc. agricultural-products company.
Corteva didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“These companies knew for decades that PFAS chemicals could cause serious harm to human health yet continued to advertise them as safe for household use around families and children,” Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement.
The suit highlighted an ad from the early 1980s, for example, encouraging families not to worry because they have Teflon carpet protector.
PFAS has driven a wave of consumer lawsuits lately. The suits have targeted a range of businesses, including the cosmetics industry, for allegedly misleading consumers over products that contain the chemicals. Multiple states have enacted legislation to regulate and phase out PFAS, including California.
The case is Texas v. 3M Co. et al, Tex. Dist. Ct., No. DC-C202400996, petition filed 12/11/24.