PFOA | Property Contamination

PFOA Lawsuits

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical that belongs to the PFAS family, often called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment. For decades, manufacturers used PFOA in consumer products such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, and firefighting foam. While these products improved convenience, they left behind a dangerous legacy: widespread contamination of water supplies and long-term health risks for exposed communities.

In recent years, lawsuits have been filed across the country against chemical manufacturers and companies that released PFOA into the environment. Victims argue that corporations knew or should have known about the risks but failed to protect workers, residents, and consumers.

Even while known as a cancer-causing agent, there was no federal drinking water standards for PFOA or PFAS until 2024. PFOA is an industrial chemical, carcinogen, liver, developmental, and immune system toxicant, and medical experts note the alteration of human thyroid hormone levels.

And this chemical is in an alarming number of water sources, endangering the American public, and PFOA water contamination has already led to cases of kidney cancer and testicular cancer.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, commonly known as PFOA, is a chemical manufactured by 3M Company and used by industrials like DuPont and Honeywell.

The chemical is present in Teflon products, waterproof coatings and AFFF firefighting foams. Common household brands associated with PFOA include Teflon, STAINMASTER, Scotchgard, and SilverStone.

The chemical has a variety of uses, and yet it is extremely toxic and non-biodegradable, and lingers in thousands of water supplies across the country.

Joe Lyon is an experienced Water Contamination Attorney and Environmental Safety Lawyer investigating PFOA water contamination nationwide.

If you think you have been harmed by PFOA water contamination, or have a property affected by such industrial waste, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties.

DuPont C8 Cancer & PFOA Water Contamination

In 2013, a panel of scientists gathered to study Mid-Ohio Valley communities and PFOA contamination from a DuPont plant in West Virginia. The study concluded that there was a “probable link” between toxic water contamination and the following diseases: high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

DuPont has since agreed to pay cancer victims and settled a class action lawsuit. Many Ohio residents are still being diagnosed with kidney cancer and testicular cancer in the following water districts:

• Little Hocking (Washington and Athens Counties, OH)
• Belpre (Washington County, OH)
• Lubeck (Wood Country, WV)
• Tuppers Plains (Athens and Meigs Counties, OH)
• Mason (Mason County, WV)
• Pomeroy (Meigs County, OH)

PFOA Toxic Exposure

PFOA resists environmental breakdown and remains stubborn in the human body, where it may accumulate and cause health complications. PFOA is used in the following applications:

• Carpeting
• Carpet cleaning products
• Upholstery
• Apparel
• Floor wax
• Sealants
• Cookware
• Firefighting foams

The Health and Environmental Impact of PFOA

PFOA exposure has been linked to several health conditions, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and immune system dysfunction. Because PFOA accumulates in the body over time, even low-level exposure through drinking water can pose long-term risks.

Contamination typically occurs when industrial sites discharge wastewater into rivers or when firefighting foam seeps into groundwater near airports or military bases. Communities that rely on local wells or municipal water systems are often the first to discover elevated levels of PFAS chemicals.