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More than 75 class action lawsuits filed over 3M’s AFFF firefighting foam are now consolidated in South Carolina to address claims of its dangerous impact on humans and the environment.

Although more than half of the 3M class action lawsuits were filed in Colorado, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation determined that the South Carolina court had the capacity to handle the MDL.

The 3M firefighting foam MDL brings together cases spread across eight different districts, all based on allegations that the fire suppressant AFFF product made by the company harmed humans and contaminated groundwater.

The defendants in the 3M class action lawsuits recently argued that other cases involving claims of the same chemicals known as PFAS should also be included in the MDL.

The panel, however, determined that with so few and such diverse non-AFFF claims, the MDL would focus only on the singular fire suppressant product.

Municipalities, individual plaintiffs, and water authorities all brought claims of groundwater contamination in the early claims that evolved into the 3M fire suppressant MDL.

The claims in the 3M class action lawsuits include that the fire suppressant leaked into groundwater near an airport or military base and caused contamination.

Research has connected the AFFF product and underlying chemical group to numerous health issues like thyroid disease and high blood pressure.

The plaintiffs in the 3M class action lawsuits argue that the defendants knew or should have known about this risk but failed to take corrective action, ultimately harming the health of humans in the surrounding areas.

A Massachusetts case with similar allegations claims that firefighting foam was used during training exercises at the Barnstable Municipal Airport and the Barnstable Fire Training Academy.

According to those claims, the problematic chemicals were phased out nearly 20 years ago, but residents in the area allegedly were harmed by the contaminated groundwater since the use of the foam began in the 1960s.

Defendants in that case included multiple manufacturers, but the judge granted a stay request in the event that an MDL might be more appropriate.

Other manufacturers are also involved in claims similar to the 3M class action lawsuit. Chemguard Inc. and Tyco Fire Products LP were both in favor of using an MDL for the AFFF cases.

The 3M class action lawsuits argue that thousands of people were unnecessarily exposed to contaminated drinking water due to the use of the firefighting foam in numerous locations around the U.S.

The plaintiffs in the 3M class action lawsuits are represented by Knauf Shaw LLP, Cole Law Firm LLC, Davis and Whitlock PC, Friedman Dazzio Zulanas & Bowling PC, Heninger Garrison Davis LLC, Mark E. Martin LLC, Matisikoudis & Fanciullo LLC, Paukert & Troppman PLLC and McDivitt Law Firm PC.

The 3M Firefighting Foam Class Action Lawsuits are In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2873, in the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

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4 thoughts on3M Class Actions Over Firefighting Foam Consolidated into MDL

  1. Walter Jerome Phillips Jr says:

    I was a fire firefighter in Soledad Fire from 2012 till 2014 and worked daily with the stuff i also refilled all extinguishers and filled them too

  2. GAIL MANGUSO says:

    My husband worked at the airport fire rescue for years there were many guys that died at the airport with cancer related wondering if this is something that I would be able to get in on on a class action suit if I provided any of the information I really would like a feedback if possible please call me or let me know my phone is 239-229-7157 my email is GOOSE0730 At AOL.com like I said it was like 27 of them that died from the airport plus there’s more from two other fire station set up died from cancer working with this a triple a phone thank you so much looking forward to hearing your response have a wonderful day

  3. Douglas A. Leavitt says:

    I was wondering if you knew of one of the lawyers involved in the class action lawsuits about AFFF. I was in the military and a civilian working for the USAF fire department. Now I have multiple medical issues, am medically retired. I am in LasVegas, Nv. Thank you, Douglas

    1. Willie sykes says:

      I have prostate cancet

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