Read the full article by Hernan Gutierrez (KWQC)
“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.”…