In a landmark lawsuit, Connecticut firefighters have taken legal action against major corporations including DuPont, 3M, Honeywell, and 16 other defendants. The firefighters allege that their protective gear was tainted with hazardous “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, substances linked to cancer and other severe health issues.
Filed in New Haven’s federal court, this proposed class action marks the first lawsuit solely focused on firefighter gear containing PFAS. The plaintiffs, comprising the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, five additional unions, and individual firefighters, claim that the contaminated gear—comprising jackets, pants, and other equipment—exposed them to PFAS through skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation, with the risks escalating under high temperatures and sweat.
These PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are notorious for their persistence in the environment and human body, earning the nickname “forever chemicals.” The firefighters argue that this exposure has caused subclinical cellular changes, significantly increasing their risk of developing serious health conditions, warranting damages of at least $5 million under Connecticut product liability law.
The complaint highlights that DuPont and 3M were responsible for producing the PFAS, while Honeywell, through a subsidiary, sold the contaminated gear without adequate warnings. In response, DuPont dismissed the lawsuit as meritless, asserting its commitment to safety and denying any manufacturing of PFOA and PFOS—specific PFAS allegedly present in the gear. Both 3M and Honeywell have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
PFAS are widely used in consumer and commercial products, from cosmetics and non-stick cookware to stain-resistant fabrics. Their resilience and inability to degrade easily have been linked to various health problems, including high cholesterol, low birth weights, reduced vaccine efficacy, and cancers of the kidney and testicles.
This legal action follows a series of settlements last year, where DuPont, 3M, and others agreed to pay over $11 billion to settle claims that their PFAS-containing products contaminated drinking water, though none of the companies admitted wrongdoing.
The case is titled Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut et al v 3M Co et al, filed in the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, under case number 24-01101.
