Texas Sues Chemical Manufacturers Over Misleading PFAS Product Safety Claims

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against chemical manufacturers 3M and DuPont, accusing them of falsely advertising products containing PFAS chemicals as safe for household use, despite knowing the risks for decades.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and the human body. They have been linked to health risks such as cancer and thyroid disease and are known to contaminate water, plants, and animals.

The lawsuit alleges that the companies intentionally misled the public about the safety of products like Teflon, Stainmaster, and Scotchgard, which contain PFAS chemicals. “Defendants marketed products containing harmful PFAS chemicals for over 70 years and were aware of the harmful effects of PFAS chemicals for over 50 years,” the lawsuit states. It further accuses the companies of concealing these risks from consumers while continuing to profit from their sale.

“These companies knew for decades that PFAS chemicals could cause serious harm to human health yet continued to advertise them as safe for household use around families and children,” said Paxton.

Paxton has been leading efforts to hold corporations accountable for PFAS contamination. In a previous lawsuit, Texas targeted manufacturers of PFAS-containing firefighting foam for its environmental damage. This new lawsuit takes aim at the chemicals’ broader use in everyday household products.

The case is being handled with the assistance of outside counsel from the Lanier Law Firm and Kelley Drye & Warren LLP.