New Jersey environmental officials opened a federal trial against DuPont and Chemours this week, alleging illegal PFAS contamination at a former chemical plant near the Delaware River.
Ted Goldberg reports for NJ Spotlight News.
In short:
- The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has accused DuPont and Chemours of violating environmental laws by polluting the Chambers Works site with PFOA, a type of PFAS.
- DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette testified that the site remains contaminated and criticized both companies for failing to fully clean it up.
- Chemours claims to have containment systems in place but did not address the lawsuit directly; DuPont declined to comment.
Key quote:
“I think that this case really is going to send a message loud and clear that’s going to reverberate across the nation."— Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum
Why this matters:
Communities near manufacturing sites, like the one in Salem County, often bear the brunt of PFAS pollution through contaminated drinking water and increased disease risks. Legal actions like New Jersey’s reflect a growing push to hold corporations accountable for long-term environmental damage and public health costs stemming from chemical manufacturing. As PFAS contamination becomes more visible nationwide, the outcome of this case could influence how aggressively states pursue cleanup and compensation in the future.
Related: Global action on harmful PFAS chemicals is long overdue: Study
