For over 50 years, industrial chemical companies have produced poly-fluoroalkyl substances or PFAS Chemicals, often referred to as forever chemicals because they can’t be removed from the body. During this time, these industrial giants have known the health risks associated with these toxic chemicals. Yet 3M, Daikin America, Toray Fluorofibers, and other companies in and around Decatur did nothing to limit the release of these chemicals into the environment, where they have contaminated local water supplies and wildlife, putting people at risk for cancers and other severe medical conditions.
McCutcheon & Hamner is actively pursuing Alabama water contamination lawsuits for customers of multiple water and utility providers in and around Decatur. You may be entitled to compensation if you suspect these chemicals have harmed you or a loved one. Contact us today to learn more.
Founded in 1988, the personal injury lawyers at McCutcheon & Hamner have worked tirelessly on behalf of North Alabama’s residents harmed by the wrongdoing of others. With over 67 years of combined experience serving the legal needs of Florence, Athens, Decatur, and Huntsville, we feel a deep connection to our North Alabama neighbors.
If you have reason to think you may have been the victim of the careless handling of dangerous chemicals by companies like 3M, then we should talk. McCutcheon & Hamner can help you seek justice and compensation for your medical bills and other losses.
PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals used to manufacture nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets and textiles, firefighting foams, food wrappers, and many other products since the 1940s.
Many PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), don’t naturally break down and accumulate over time.
If uncontrolled, these chemicals seep into the soil, eventually contaminating drinking water sources. They also accumulate in fish and wildlife exposed to them. People become exposed to PFAS by consuming PFAS-contaminated food or water. These forever chemicals can also build up in the human body over time and cause long-term health problems.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS exposure damages thyroid function, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the liver, and reproduction.
In June 2022, the EPA updated drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS based on new science that considers lifetime chemical exposure. That research indicated that adverse health consequences may occur with near-zero concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water — much lower than previously understood when the EPA issued its 2016 health advisories.
The EPA’s 2022 health advisory levels, measured in parts per trillion (ppt), lowered the exposure of PFOA and/or PFOS from 70 ppt to 0.004 ppt and 0.02 ppt, respectively.
Tests reveal that PFAS chemicals are present in many North Alabama water municipalities. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management found that the water supply throughout Wester Morgan County and Easter Lawrence County is contaminated with PFAS chemicals dozens of times higher than the levels considered safe for humans by the EPA.
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group has independently tested water in many cities across Northern Alabama. In 2019, the EWG revealed that some of the highest levels of PFOA exist in Decatur’s watered supply. Testing showed the water was contaminated at a rate of 24 ppt, far greater than the EPS’s limit of 0.004 ppt.
Decatur’s 3M manufacturing facility was a major producer of PFOA and PFOS chemicals until about 2002. Because PFAS don’t break down in the environment, they are likely still leaching into the Tennessee River and making their way to the Wheeler Reservoir, which supplies four water municipalities.
According to EPA documents, in 2007, a local industry notified the EPA that 3M had inadvertently discharged large quantities of PFAS to Decatur Utilities. At that time, the utility was applying biosolids as a fertilizer on about 5,000 acres of privately owned agriculture fields in Lawrence, Morgan, and Limestone counties.
Between 2005 and 2011, EPA and others sampled soil and water in the affected areas. They detected PFOA and PFOS at 110 ppt in the West Morgan-East Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority. About 100,000 people in North Alabama were advised not to drink tap water due to elevated levels of PFOS. Affected areas included Morgan County, Lawrence County, Etowah County, Fort Payne, Centre, and West Point.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against 3M and other Industrial Giants in the Decatur area, alleging they knowingly allowed PFAS to pollute the water supply and failed to warn residents of the associated risks.
Plaintiffs include individual residents who claim health problems linked to PFAS exposure, as well as water authorities seeking compensation for cleanup costs and filtration systems.
One major settlement was reached in 2023, resulting in 3M paying $98.4 million to settle claims with water agencies and environmental groups, including $35 million for a new filtration system to remove PFAS from the affected water supply.
Affected residents are still pursuing individual water contamination lawsuits against 3M and other companies, including Daikin America and Toray Fluorofibers, due to health problems linked to PFAS exposure.
The lawsuits claim that these companies knew or should have known that PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS chemicals could contaminate water supplies, accumulate in animals and humans, and cause severe health problems, including cancer and other diseases. Yet, they continued to release toxic chemicals into the environment.
The dedicated team of experienced attorneys at McCutcheon & Hamner is committed to seeking justice for North Alabama residents affected by water contamination. If you or a loved one suffers from the devastating consequences of water contamination, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and other losses.
Contact us today at 256-861-7773 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us fight for your rights. Together, we can hold responsible parties accountable for the harm they have caused.
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