Read the full article by Claire Sullivan (New Hampshire Bulletin)
“How much time should those harmed by a persistent class of man-made chemicals have to sue polluters?
That’s the question lawmakers will consider in the legislative session that kicks off in January. In 2021, they lengthened the statute of limitations for civil action for those harmed by PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, from three years to six. But some say that is still far too short for the chemicals that break down incredibly slowly and are linked to serious health problems, including some cancers, high cholesterol, and reproductive and fetal development issues.
Some in the state have suffered from acute exposure, like those affected by emissions from Pease Air Force Base on the Seacoast or the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant in Merrimack. But almost all Americans have PFAS in their blood, with the chemicals found in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including food packaging, waterproof mascara, clothing, and more. (Lawmakers successfully moved this year to ban a number of those products from sale in the state starting in 2027.)”…