Wisconsin’s AG Is Launching A Huge Toxic Tort Suit

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Must be something in the water

Once I learned about the chemical group that makes Teflon so nonstick, I never did look at cows grazing or listen to this Prince song the same way ever again. And after this suit, Wisconsin will bring to mind more than happy cows and one of T-Pain’s hypothetical mansions.

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Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has filed a lawsuit that aims to force 18 companies he accuses of contaminating the environment with toxic “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, to reimburse the state for investigations and cleanup.

The lawsuit, filed in Madison in Dane County circuit court, says defendants including 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products LP and BASF Corporation knew or should have known their products are a hazard to the environment and human health.

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PFAS, despite their association with nonstick cookware, hang around for a very long time. And that’s a problem considering that they’ve been linked to serious health problems including but not limited to: liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression, and cancer. The good news is that your food is probably fine — despite the danger of PFAS, Teflon remains the industry standard. Just be sure to not cook with metal utensils in a Teflon pan as that scrapes off the material. Oh, and check your water. You really don’t want PFAS in your water.

While it is unknown how much money this suit will be over, similar cleanups have projected costs that can tally in the hundreds of millions. I have a feeling this won’t be the last you hear of this. Cheers!

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‘Forever Chemicals’ Lawsuits: Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul Sues 18 Companies Over PFAS Contamination [Chicago Suntimes]

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Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

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Environment / Environmental Law, Government, PFAS, Wisconsin