ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – The state of New York alleges a product used to extinguish fires has contaminated the environment.
The state of New York filed a complaint on June 19 in the Supreme Court of New York - Albany County against the 3M Co., Tyco Fire Products LP, Chemguard Inc., Buckeye Fire Equipment Co., National Foam Inc. and Kiddie-Fenwal Inc. alleging public nuisance and other counts.
According to the complaint, the defendants' aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) products containing perfluorooctanoic acid/perfluorootanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonicacid/perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been used for decades at military air bases, airports, firefighting training centers and other locations in the state. The suit states samples of surface water, groundwater and soil near the sites have detected elevated concentrations of PFOA/S.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to warn about the existence and nature of the latent dangers of the AFFF products to drinking water, the public health and the environment.
The plaintiff seeks injunctive and equitable relief, award of punitive damages and such other and further relief the court deems just, equitable and proper. It is represented by Assistant Attorneys General Matthew J. Sinkman and Philip Bein of Environmental Protection Bureau in Albany, New York.
The Supreme Court of New York - Albany County case number 1:18-cv-01317-MAD-DJS