Rhode Island attorney general sues manufacturers of ‘forever chemicals’

May 25, 2023, 10:07 AM

FILE - Attorney General Peter Neronha gives a victory speech after winning a second term, during an...

FILE - Attorney General Peter Neronha gives a victory speech after winning a second term, during an election-night gathering of Rhode Island Democratic candidates and supporters on Nov. 8, 2022, in Providence, R.I. Neronha on Thursday, May 25, 2023, filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of so-called “forever chemicals." commonly referred to as PFAS, saying they have causing significant harm to the residents and natural resources of Rhode Island. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Mark Stockwell, File)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha filed a lawsuit Thursday against the manufacturers of so-called “forever chemicals,” commonly referred to as PFAS, saying they have caused significant harm to the state’s residents and natural resources.

Neronha faulted the companies for engaging in what he described as “a massive and widespread campaign to knowingly deceive the public,” moving assets to avoid paying for damages, and manufacturing, marketing and selling hazardous chemicals for decades while knowing the risks.

The complaint, filed in Providence County Superior Court, alleges the companies violated state environmental and consumer protection laws.

“We are still uncovering the consequences of exposure to these hazardous chemicals by Rhode Islanders, but the burden of this enormous cost should be borne by the companies who made, marketed, and sold these products,” Neronha said.

The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been linked to cancer and other health problems in humans. They are called “forever chemicals” because they don’t degrade in the environment and remain in the bloodstream.

They were used for years in firefighting foams, nonstick frying pans, water-repellent fabrics, stain-resistant rugs and other products.

Rhode Island’s General Assembly recently prohibited food packaging containing PFAS.

Other states have taken similar actions.

Massachusetts last year sued more than a dozen companies involved in the manufacture or marketing of the chemicals, also alleging they knowingly polluted the environment and endangered public health.

United States News

FILE - FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York, Feb. 16, 2023. (AP...

Associated Press

Prosecutors say Sam Bankman-Fried’s arguments to dismiss cryptocurrency charges are meritless

NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyers made meritless arguments in a bid to convince a judge to toss out criminal charges alleging that the FTX founder stole from investors in his multibillion dollar cryptocurrency fund, federal prosecutors said Monday. In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors responded to early May filings in which […]

1 day ago

FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, poses for a photo with audience members during a fundrais...

Associated Press

DeSantis kicks off presidential campaign in Iowa as he steps up criticism of Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ron DeSantis plans to kick off his presidential campaign in Iowa on Tuesday, the start of a busy week that will take him to 12 cities in three states as he tests his pitch as the most formidable Republican challenger to former President Donald Trump. The Florida governor’s two-day trip to the […]

1 day ago

The draft of a bill that President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., negotiated...

Associated Press

Crucial days ahead as debt ceiling deal goes for vote and Biden calls lawmakers for support

WASHINGTON (AP) — President disastrous U.S. default. Biden spent part of the Memorial Day holiday working the phones, calling lawmakers in both parties, as the president does his part to deliver the votes. A number of hard right conservatives are criticizing the deal as falling short of the new work requirements for older Americans in […]

1 day ago

FILE - Activists demonstrate as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on a pair of cases that coul...

Associated Press

Most in U.S. say don’t ban race in college admissions but that role should be small: AP-NORC poll

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Supreme Court decides the fate of affirmative action, most U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions, according to a new poll. The May poll from The Associated […]

1 day ago

A sign outside a Target store is seen Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Target is removi...

Associated Press

LGBTQ+ activists call for new strategies to promote equality after Target backlash

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Following Target’s announcement last week that it removed products and relocated Pride displays to the back of certain stores in the South, activists in the LGBTQ+ community are calling for new campaigns to convince corporate leaders not to cave to anti-LGBTQ+ groups. “We need a strategy on how to deal with […]

1 day ago

FILE - Elizabeth Holmes, then the CEO of Theranos, speaks at the Fortune Global Forum on Nov. 2, 20...

Associated Press

The day has arrived for Elizabeth Holmes to report to a Texas prison

Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is scheduled to move to her new home —-a federal prison where she has been sentenced to spend the next 11 years for overseeing a blood-testing hoax that became a parable about greed and hubris in Silicon Valley. The federal judge who sentenced Holmes, 39, in November recommended that she […]

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Rhode Island attorney general sues manufacturers of ‘forever chemicals’