Teflon, Nylon and Kevlar — materials that have benefited generations of people worldwide. But what about their cost to the environment?
For some, it was already too late. They claim the deadly acid poisoned water supplies, causing any number of serious illnesses, six of which a panel acknowledged in 2004 as being linked to C-8: kidney and testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension and high cholesterol. Their cases will be now reviewed in US court.
The first plaintiff is Carla Marie Bartlett, who says she developed kidney cancer developed after drinking contaminated water. She is one of approximately 3,500 who have sued DuPont in federal court in Ohio. The second trial is due to start in the end of November.
Share if you think DuPont should filter the water in ALL of the communities it put at risk through C-8 contamination.
— Keep Your Promises (@KeepYrPromises) September 11, 2015
In 1996, DuPont was ordered to pay $200,000 for C8 area contamination that was killing cattle and deer. Moreover, some of the facility’s employees also became sick.
"We have a problem here in West Virginia and even at the national level, where regulatory agencies are not necessarily doing the best job they could in monitoring and policing these types of facilities," West Virginia Citizen Action Group Executive Director Gary Zuckett told Sputnik earlier.
Commenting on Barlett’s case, DuPont stated it believes Bartlett’s exposure to C-8 was insufficient to cause health problems, and that other factors, like obesity, may be to blame for her cancer, Reuters reported.
Good Morning from Washington Works���� @DuPont_NAOps pic.twitter.com/E8utOGBwGL
— Michelle Goldsmith (@AlmosttheavenWV) October 14, 2014
Spokesman Daniel Turner said in a statement that DuPont has worked with regulators, employees and residents to address health and safety concerns, and the company said it has phased out the use of C-8 in recent years.
