Family files ‘forever chemicals’ lawsuit against 3M, Solvay over birth defects, illness

3M, Solvay forever chemicals lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Charles R. Walzer and Rae B. Walzer filed a lawsuit against Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC, The 3M Company and DuPont, among others. 
• Why: The Walzers claim Solvay, 3M and DuPont knowingly and intentionally discharged harmful chemicals, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, into the environment. 
• Where: The lawsuit was filed in New Jersey federal court. 

Chemical companies, including Solvay, 3M, and DuPont, have knowingly and recklessly discharged harmful chemicals that contaminated soil, water and air and caused birth defects and illnesses, a new lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiffs Charles R. Walzer and Rae B. Walzer claim the chemical companies put public health at risk by allegedly intentionally discharging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among other harmful chemicals. 

The Walzers, who reside in New Jersey, argue they, along with their child Carrie R. Walzer,  suffer from a number of health issues as a result of the companies allegedly releasing the so-called “forever chemicals” into the environment. 

“Plaintiffs’ injuries were foreseeably caused by Defendants’ misconduct, including their intentional manufacturing, use, discharge and/or disposal of toxic and dangerous chemicals,” the 3M and Solvay lawsuit states. 

The Walzers claim they have lived near Solvay’s West Deptford facility in Pedricktown, New Jersey, since 1980, exposing them to chemicals through contaminated air, soil, groundwater and drinking water near the plant. 

The family also lives near DuPont and Chemours’ Chambers Works in Pennsville and Carney’s Point townships, according to the lawsuit. 

Chemical companies knew, or should have known, about harmful PFAS effects, lawsuit claims

The Walzers argue exposure to “toxic and dangerous” chemicals Solvay, 3M and DuPont allegedly dumped caused Carrie’s developmental disabilities and Rae to suffer a miscarriage and breast cancer. 

“DuPont and 3M committed acts and omissions with respect to PFAS and other toxins with actual malice and/or with a wanton and willful disregard of people who foreseeably might be harmed by those acts or omissions,” the forever chemicals birth defects lawsuit states. 

The chemical companies either knew or should have known for decades that PFAS and other chemicals are highly toxic and have the ability to cause harm to consumers, the lawsuit alleges. 

“Despite that knowledge, Defendants continued to use PFAS and other toxins in products and release them into the environment,” the lawsuit states. 

The Walzer family demands a jury trial and requests compensatory and punitive damages “as a consequence of the personal injuries they have suffered.” 

PFAS have faced increased scrutiny in the past few years. Just recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule aimed at limiting the amount of forever chemicals in drinking water. 

Have you been exposed to PFAS? Let us know in the comments. 

The plaintiffs are represented by Steven Phillips, Victoria Phillips, Russell Curley and Marc C. Gorrie of Phillips & Paolicelli LLP; Peter A. Kraus and Michael Connett of Water, Kraus & Paul; and Kevin Cooney of Cooney & Conway. 

The 3M and Solvay forever chemicals class action lawsuit is Walzer, et al. v. Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC, et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-04174, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• The Children’s Place class action claims school uniforms contain harmful PFAS
• Kentucky files lawsuit against 3M, others over PFAS contamination in waterways
• Class action accuses C&H Sugar of releasing noxious odor from wastewater treatment plant
• HexClad class action alleges cookware marketed as ‘non-toxic’ actually contains PFAS