Maryland sues Gore over 'forever chemicals' in area around Cecil County sites

At least one class action suit has been filed against Gore's Maryland operations. (See related story). Chemical companies have been settling lawsuits regarding the chemicals that can remain in groundwater for hundreds of years. 

 The complaint calls for Gore to pay all costs relating to the investigation and cleanup of PFAS contamination from more than a dozen facilities Gore owns and operates in Cecil County.

 A Gore spokesperson said the company was surprised by the lawsuit's filing, since the company has been working with the state.

 The state alleges that Gore was aware of the dangers of the chemicals when used in production.

 According to the complaint, The Maryland Department of the Environment has been assessing PFAS contamination near Gore's operations in Cecil County area, including sampling residents' private drinking water wells.

"While we appreciate Gore's limited investigation to ascertain the extent of PFAS contamination around its facilities, much more needs to be done to protect the community and the health of residents," said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. "We must remove these forever chemicals from our natural resources urgently, and we expect responsible parties to pay for this remediation."

In April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set an enforceable drinking water standard for PFOA. The EPA has also listed PFOA as a hazardous substance under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund.

The complaint notes that PFAS may lead to significant negative health effects, including reproductive effects including decreased fertility and pregnancy-induced hypertension; developmental effects in children including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes; increased risk of certain cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers; immune system effects, including reduced vaccine response; interference with the body's natural hormones; and increased cholesterol and increased risk of obesity."

Research continues into the effects of PFAs, which often moved into the water supplies around airports, where the chemicals were once used in firefighting foam. 

 The complaint includes 13 Gore facilities in the Elkton area. While the full extent of PFAS contamination from Gore's sites  has not been fully assessed, Maryland has already incurred costs necessary to investigate, treat, and remediate the contamination that Gore has caused and will continue to incur costs that Gore should bear, the complaint stated.