AIRWAYS HEIGHTS, Wash. – A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the makers of firefighting foam that contained PFOC’s that have contaminated the water in Airway Heights.
The class action is seeking $5 million.
According to the complaint, 92 people are suing the 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products and National Foam Inc. The suit claims the companies knew the chemical were highly soluble and was likely to contaminate water supplies. It also says the companies knew this would cause serious health effects in humans.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs have suffered exposure, personal injury, bioaccumulation of PFC’s in their blood which causes known cancer and diseases, property damage and the diminution of property value as a result of the contamination to their water supplies.
The plaintiffs consist of former and current residents of Airway Heights and Medical Lake. Some of them have been diagnosed with things like pregnancy issues, stomach problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, ulcerative colitis, thyroid issues, learning disabilities and reproductive problems.
Another woman in the suit says her son died at the age of 29 from myeloid leukemia and the family has no history of this type of cancer.
Others claim that the value of their homes dropped significantly. One man said in the lawsuit that he was forced to sell his property for about $30,000 less than the tax assessed value. A family who owns a farm said they are no longer able to farm their land because their insurance carrier will not insure their land because PFC’s are present in the soil and irrigation water, according to the suit. The family said the EPA has told them that the PFC’s will “uptake” into the crops. The suit said their land has depreciated in value and they are no longer able to generate revenue.
The lawsuit claims that as early as the 1960s, 3M knew that PFOS and PFOA were persistent in the environment and do not degrade. It also said 3M studies from the 1970s concluded that PFC’s were “even more toxic” than previously believed. Then around 1977, Tyco was also aware of the environment and toxic concerns, according to the suit. The lawsuit also claims the defendants hid the dangers of the chemicals and continued to sell the firefighting foam anyway.
On Tuesday, the Air Force announced a new water treatment system for Airway Heights residents. This summer, Spokane will divert a record amount of water to the city. A new water connection between the two cities will help keep the water flowing. The City of Airway Heights will pay for construction, permits and the costs to maintain it. By some estimates, it could take Airway Heights five years before the city is able to provide people with its own water.