URGENT: PFAS Cancer Lawsuits

A federal judge in South Carolina has ruled against the U.S. government’s attempt to dismiss all lawsuits related to PFAS contamination, emphasizing that each case must be evaluated based on site-specific details before determining jurisdiction. This decision allows legal actions against the military—filed by local communities, businesses, and state governments—to proceed.

Judge Richard M. Gergel denied the government’s broad immunity claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) and CERCLA, stating that key jurisdictional issues at various sites remain unresolved. While some claims connected to Cannon Air Force Base—particularly those requesting injunctive relief—were dismissed, lawsuits addressing negligent use and management of AFFF contamination at military facilities remain active.

This ruling underscores the government’s potential liability for mishandling toxic firefighting foam, paving the way for further legal challenges based on specific site conditions. The next phase will involve jurisdictional discovery at affected locations, ensuring that impacted plaintiffs can continue pursuing justice in court.

The Village of Nyack, New York, has filed lawsuits against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Estée Lauder Cos., and several other companies, accusing them of polluting the local drinking water with hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The case, brought before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks financial compensation from the companies for the expenses associated with testing, monitoring, and implementing water treatment solutions to eliminate PFAS from the Hackensack River—Nyack’s main water source. According to the lawsuit, these companies, operating in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, industrial, and waste management sectors, utilized PFAS in their production, product formulations, and waste disposal processes. It is alleged that these chemicals subsequently seeped into the environment, contaminating the community’s water supply.

The legal complaint claims that Teva, Estée Lauder, and the other defendants “knew or should have known” that their activities were introducing PFAS into the water system, posing severe health hazards. Commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their long-lasting presence in the environment, PFAS have been associated with cancer, immune dysfunction, and other serious health concerns.

Testing has reportedly revealed PFAS levels in Nyack’s water supply that surpass the newly established Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit of 4.0 parts per trillion. The village contends that this contamination constitutes a public nuisance, violating residents’ fundamental right to clean and safe drinking water.

This week, Santa Clara County, California, initiated a major lawsuit regarding water contamination against several companies. The legal action claims that the county’s public water systems have been tainted by PFAS chemicals, originating from AFFF firefighting foam produced by the companies named in the suit, including 3M and DuPont.