Connecticut Residents Sue Kleenex Maker Kimberly-Clark Over PFAS Contamination
Kleenex Maker Kimberly-Clark is facing a proposed class action lawsuit after residents in Connecticut say their properties and drinking water were contaminated with PFAS “forever chemicals.” The lawsuit was filed last week in Connecticut federal court and targeted a Kimberly-Clark factory in New Milford, Connecticut. Nearby residents say that the factory is the source of toxic chemicals including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. The complaint argues these chemicals are used during the production of Kleenex tissues and are leaked to the environment via smokestacks. The lawsuit adds that PFAS chemicals are also leached into the ground through paper sludge the factory dumps at a nearby landfill.
Due to the contamination, residents say the value of their property has dropped, and the polluted drinking water increases their risk of diseases that are commonly observed with continued PFAS exposures. While some experts say that drinking water with PFAS contamination is not immediately dangerous, others say that health concerns can pop up in the long term.
The lawsuit says Kimberly-Clark had a duty to take reasonable care in not exposing residents to the toxic chemicals. However, the company violated that duty by failing to warn residents that PFAS chemicals were used in the plant.
A spokesperson for Kimberly-Clark hit back against the lawsuit, calling the claims “unfounded.” The spokesperson added that the company does not use PFAS chemicals in its U.S. consumer products and that the company plans to “vigorously” defend against the allegations made in the complaint.
PFAS have been at the center of environmental and health concerns over the past decade due to their concerning and widespread use. Over 1,000 man-made chemicals fall under the umbrella of PFAS chemicals, though they are commonly associated with non-stick cookware and water-resistant fabrics and carpets. They have also been used in firefighting foam and products resistant to water, grease, and oil.
With repeated exposure, PFAS can contribute to an altered immune and thyroid function, kidney disease, certain cancers, and complications with reproductive health along with adverse developmental outcomes.
In this latest lawsuit, Connecticut residents are seeking an order that would require Kimberly-Clark to install water filters for impacted residents and create a fund to pay for long-term monitoring of residents’ health. The residents are also seeking unspecified damages for their financial losses along with punitive damages.
Over the past year, corporations that use PFAS in their manufacturing processes have been at the center of lawsuits that accuse them of contaminating local communities and the environment as a whole. Most recently, production giants 3M and DuPont have agreed to respective $12.5 billion and $1.3 billion settlements over their roles in PFAS contamination.
The flurry of litigation against companies that use PFAS in their manufacturing has given way to federal regulatory action from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Last year, the EPA proposed the first-ever rule enforcing drinking water limits for several of the substances. The EPA is expected to finalize the rule sometime this year.
