Nine Ohio and West Virginia residents who have cancer and other diseases have filed federal lawsuits this month against chemical giant DuPont Co.
The lawsuits accuse the Wilmington, Del.-based company of knowingly contaminating drinking-water supplies with a chemical known as C8, used at its plant near Parkersburg, W.Va.
The lawsuits are among about 50 such cases filed against DuPont since last April, including one alleging wrongful death.
A court-appointed science panel has found probable links between exposure to C8 and kidney cancer, testicular cancer and thyroid disease, among others.
DuPont denies all the allegations in the lawsuits. A company spokesman says they “ignore family history, lifestyle choices” and other factors that cause disease.
DuPont plans to stop making and using C8 by 2015. It’s a key ingredient in Teflon.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.