The BC government has filed a class-action lawsuit against international chemical giants, claiming they failed to adequately warn people about the risks of so-called ‘forever chemicals.’
The suit specifically targets manufacturers of PFAS chemicals, which are used in hundreds of consumer and commercial products including tires, firefighting foam, non-stick pans, stain-resistant clothes and cosmetics.
The chemicals do not break down easily in the human body and environment. Last year in the USA courts awarded more than $11 billion in settlements over PFAS contamination, and there have been thousands of lawsuits over the chemicals in recent years.
BC is specifically suing to “recover the costs of detecting and removing” the chemicals from drinking water systems, according to Attorney-General Niki Sharma.