After years of relying on bottled water and point-of-use filters, residents near an industrial site in Marinette County, Wisconsin, may finally be closer to answers. According to WBAY, attorneys for the state of Wisconsin said they had reached a settlement in the 2022 PFAS contamination lawsuit tied to releases of firefighting foam.
What happened?
WBAY reported that minutes from a Wednesday court hearing showed all sides saying there is a settlement in the Marinette County PFAS case. The lawsuit was filed by the state of Wisconsin against Tyco and Johnson Controls in 2022.
The state accused the companies of violating Wisconsin's hazardous substance spills law. Regulators said, as reported by WBAY, that firefighting foam containing PFAS was released into the water, land, and air around the company's fire technology center in Marinette.
WBAY reported that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had also asserted that Tyco and Johnson Controls were responsible for PFAS contamination at Marinette's Stanton Street site and in nearby private drinking-water wells in Peshtigo and Marinette.
So far, the terms of the settlement have not been made public. WBAY reported that a late-June court date is expected to include a review of those terms.
What's being done?
The reported settlement leaves major questions unanswered until the June hearing.
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For now, interim protections such as bottled water and point-of-use filters remain part of daily life for affected households.
And for readers at home who want to avoid PFAS as best they can, a simple switch from nonstick pans to steel, glass, or ceramic options is one way to avoid cooking chemicals into your food.
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