A Connecticut Kleenex facility is accused of polluting drinking water with toxic PFAS chemicals, endangering local health and property values, according to a federal lawsuit.
Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- The lawsuit claims that air emissions from the Kleenex plant contaminated local drinking water wells with PFAS, posing serious health risks.
- Plaintiffs are demanding $5 million for damages and health monitoring, citing long-term exposure to the harmful chemicals.
- Kimberly-Clark, the parent company of Kleenex, denies using PFAS at the plant, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
Key quote:
"Learning that their drinking water has been contaminated with dangerous levels of PFAS has been stressful... and now that they know they’ve been exposed to PFAS over a long period of time they want to monitor their health."
— Ian Sloss, plaintiff's attorney
Why this matters:
PFAS, known for their persistence and ability to spread, represent a significant threat to drinking water quality, raising concerns about cancer, birth defects, and other serious health conditions. Local communities, particularly those near industrial sites, military bases, and airports where PFAS have been heavily used, face the brunt of this contamination. These communities often struggle with the dual challenges of safeguarding public health and dealing with the economic and logistical complexities of cleaning up PFAS contamination.
