PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often called “forever chemicals” — are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, firefighting foam, stain resistants, and industrial applications. They resist environmental breakdown, bioaccumulate in humans, and are increasingly linked to serious health effects including several cancers, thyroid disease, liver damage, immune system effects, and pregnancy complications. PFAS litigation is one of the largest environmental tort dockets in U.S. history, with two overlapping tracks: contamination cases (against manufacturers who polluted water supplies) and personal injury cases (against manufacturers for health effects).

The AFFF Firefighting Foam MDL

The largest PFAS docket is In re Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2873), consolidated in the District of South Carolina. AFFF is a firefighting foam used since the 1960s at military bases, civilian airports, oil refineries, and fire training facilities. AFFF contains high PFAS concentrations that have contaminated groundwater at hundreds of sites. Cases include:

• Firefighter cancer cases — kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis
• Water contamination cases — municipal water systems, private wells near AFFF use sites
• Property damage cases — cleanup and lost property value

Bellwether trials began in 2023. 3M announced a $10.3 billion settlement in June 2023 with public water systems (municipal). Personal injury cases continue.

Health conditions linked to PFAS exposure

• Kidney cancer — strongest cancer link in scientific literature
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid disease and thyroid cancer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Liver damage
• Immune system effects — reduced antibody response to vaccines
• Pregnancy complications — pre-eclampsia, low birth weight
• Elevated cholesterol
• Breast cancer — emerging science, disputed

Who may qualify

• Career firefighters (military, municipal, industrial) who used AFFF
• Military personnel at bases with AFFF contamination
• Residents of communities near AFFF use sites whose water was contaminated
• 3M, DuPont, Chemours workers exposed occupationally
• Communities in known PFAS “forever chemical” hot zones — West Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota

Defendants

Primary defendants include 3M, DuPont, Chemours (spinoff of DuPont), Corteva, Tyco Fire Products, National Foam, Kidde-Fenwal, and others. Different defendants dominate different sub-dockets. The corporate defendants have combined multi-billion dollar settlement funds set aside for PFAS liability.

General information. Not legal advice. Mass tort settlement amounts vary widely by case-specific facts.