New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday brought legal action against a group of major chemical companies, naming 3M, DuPont, Chemours, Corteva and EIDP as defendants. The suit accuses those firms of manufacturing, marketing and selling PFAS - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances often called "forever chemicals" because of their persistence - despite allegedly knowing for decades that the compounds posed health and environmental dangers.
The complaint contends the companies continued to put PFAS into everyday consumer products even as internal research showed the substances could accumulate in people, animals and ecosystems. The filing links PFAS exposure to a range of adverse health outcomes identified in the complaint, including cancer, birth defects, pregnancy complications and hormone disorders.
Allegations and relief sought
According to the suit, the state is asking a court to require the named corporations to fund cleanup operations across New York, to provide consumer warnings about PFAS risks, to stop advertising that the complaint describes as misleading, and to pay damages, restitution and disgorgement of profits along with other financial penalties.
The complaint further alleges that internal company research, some of which the filing says dates back to the 1970s, documented contamination and health concerns yet was not shared with regulators or the public. The lawsuit also claims that when certain PFAS compounds were phased out, the companies replaced them with alternatives that the complaint alleges were similarly harmful.
Products cited in the complaint
The state highlights a range of consumer items it says continued to contain PFAS, including stain-resistant fabrics, non-stick cookware, food packaging and cosmetics. The complaint asserts that these product lines were marketed and sold while the companies allegedly concealed risks and research findings.
Context within broader legal pressure
The lawsuit is presented within the complaint as part of growing legal action by U.S. states seeking to recover cleanup costs and to hold chemical producers accountable for environmental contamination and risks to public health. The filing names specific corporate defendants and outlines the relief New York is pursuing as it seeks remediation and financial accountability.
The allegations, the requested remedies and the references to internal research form the core of New York's effort to compel corporate responsibility for the contamination and associated harms described in the complaint.