New York State Sues Companies Over ‘Forever Chemicals’

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 10, 2026

New York State has sued major chemical companies, including 3M and DuPont, accusing them of knowingly exposing consumers to harmful PFAS chemicals while concealing their risks. The lawsuit seeks to hold these companies financially responsible for cleanup efforts and consumer warnings, marking the state's first legal action against PFAS in consumer products.

New York State has filed a lawsuit against several major chemical and manufacturing companies, including 3M and DuPont, alleging that they knowingly exposed consumers to products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," despite being aware of their risks. The legal action was announced on Thursday by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals historically used in a wide range of products such as nonstick cookware, makeup, dental floss, food packaging, and certain types of clothing. While initially valued for their water- and oil-repellent properties, these substances have since been linked to a variety of health issues—including cancer, metabolic disorders, decreased fertility, and developmental problems in children—according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). PFAS do not break down in the environment, accumulating over time in soil, water, wildlife, and human bodies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nearly all Americans carry detectable levels of PFAS in their blood.

The complaint alleges that 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva violated New Yorkers’ rights to clean air and water, as well as consumer protection laws, by distributing products containing these chemicals while withholding information about their hazards. The lawsuit asserts that internal company documents show 3M recognized the persistence and toxicity of PFAS as early as the 1960s and confirmed the presence of PFAS in workers’ and the general population’s blood by 1976. Similarly, DuPont reportedly identified the toxic nature of certain PFAS compounds in 1961 and detected the chemicals in employee blood samples, but did not disclose these findings publicly.

The harmful effects of PFAS only became widely known in the early 2000s after a court order compelled DuPont to release thousands of internal documents. The ongoing legal action seeks to require the companies to finance cleanup efforts across New York, mandate warnings to consumers about the risks associated with their products, and impose damages and restitution for harm caused to the state and its residents.

This marks New York’s first lawsuit targeting forever chemicals in consumer products, although the state has previously sued many of the same companies over contamination linked to firefighting foam. Local governments have also pursued related claims independently; for example, DuPont is expected to pay $27 million to residents of Hoosick Falls, a village in upstate New York, to settle a separate case involving PFAS pollution.

The suit follows recent federal regulatory changes, including the Trump administration’s rollback of certain PFAS drinking water limits established in 2024 under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Moreover, the EPA recently approved several pesticides that experts suggest may contain these chemicals, raising further environmental and public health concerns.

The companies named in the lawsuit have not yet commented on the allegations. Many have faced numerous legal challenges over PFAS contamination nationwide, including a $10.3 billion settlement 3M agreed to in 2023 with various U.S. municipalities over water pollution claims.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.