FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Contacts: Hannah Lee Flath, hannahlee.flath@sierraclub.org, 860-634-0225
Sierra Club Illinois Statement in Response to the Illinois Attorney General Office’s Lawsuit Against Companies that Produce PFAS
CHICAGO, IL. -- Today, Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office filed a complaint on behalf of the State of Illinois against fifteen of the largest chemical companies in the world that are culpable for contaminating Illinois’ environment and natural resources with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The lawsuit directs these companies to remediate PFAS contamination and cover the cost of restoring the natural resources that have been damaged by the production and use of PFAS in consumer products.
In response, Sierra Club Illinois Director Jack Darin released the following statement:
“We applaud Attorney General Kwame Raoul for holding these companies accountable and ensuring polluters pay for the price of contamination. Within the last two years alone, even though we have known about the serious risks from these toxins, these companies have endangered the health and safety of Illinoisans, both from the production and use of PFAS in consumer products. While Illinois has taken recent action to address other modes of PFAS contamination, like banning the incineration of these harmful chemicals and phasing out their use in firefighting foam, the state has a long way to go to limit pollution from other sources.
“PFAS are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they do not break down over time and are toxic and harmful to both human health and the environment. The last place PFAS should be is in our cookware, food packaging, carpets, clothing, and more. The Attorney General’s lawsuit to hold companies that produce PFAS accountable is a critical step forward in Illinois’ efforts to rid our environment of these dangerous chemicals.”