Illinois AG suing 3M over leaked ‘Forever Chemicals’

CORDOVA, Ill. (KWQC) - The State of Illinois filed a lawsuit against 3M over alleged contamination at its plant along the Mississippi River.

In an over 60 page lawsuit, the Office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul alleges 3M contaminated the area around its plant in Cordova with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS for decades.

The lawsuit alleges that 3M violated various laws, including the Federal Clean Water Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act by leaking PFAS into the river and soil.

According to the EPA’s website, PFAS, or so-called ‘Forever Chemicals,’ are toxic to humans and break down very slowly. The agency has found PFAS in water, air, soil and even fish.

The EPA also warns that PFAS can cause negative effects on fertility and development in children, increase the risk of certain cancers and interfere with the immune system and hormones.

Attorney General Raoul said in a press release that 3M knew of the dangers of PFAS as early as the 1960s.

This lawsuit was filed on March 16, in the Rock Island County Circuit Court.

In a statement to TV6 News, 3M promoted its investments at the Cordova plant and denied any wrongdoing.

“3M acted responsibly in its manufacturing operations and in connection with products containing PFAS and will continue to vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship in this action.
For the last 50 years, 3M has continuously invested in our Cordova facility, manufacturing operations and technologies, and the community. Building on those investments, 3M is investing $170M to engineer and install cutting-edge technology aligning with our company-wide goal of enhancing the quality of our environment through innovation. This includes advancing the site’s wastewater technology plan for a comprehensive water filtration system, which is anticipated to come online in the coming months. The system features a combination of multiple technologies that are highly effective at removing suspended solids, as well as carbon-based and fluorinated chemistries that may be present in process water. These technologies will enhance our current systems and enable the company to return even higher quality water to the environment after its use in manufacturing operations.
In addition, by spring 2022, the site will have in place cooling towers to help recycle water and reduce the volume of groundwater needed for our operations by 25 percent.
These advanced technology investments demonstrate how 3M has and continues to proactively manage our operations while maintaining our focus on environmental stewardship.”
3M Statement

If found liable, 3M could face fines of up to $50,000 per violation and $10,000 per each day violations continue.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Mayor of Cordova, James Boone, declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, The Illinois Department of Public Health and Attorney General Raoul’s Office did not respond in time to TV6′s request for an interview.