Erin Brockovitch-Backed Law Firm Files Lawsuit Against Firefighting Foam Manufacturers

Weitz and Luxenberg, the law firm associated with consumer advocated Erin Brockovitch, has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the firefighting foam which they say led to the contamination of the water supply in portions of Montgomery and Bucks counties.

The foams, which contain the chemicals PFOS and PFOA, were in heavy use at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Horsham Township and the former Naval Air Warfare Center in Warminster, the lawsuit states.

“For years, residents living near military bases in eastern Pennsylvania were unknowingly exposed to dangerous chemicals in their drinking water,” Robin Greenwald, head of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Unit at Weitz and Luxenberg said in a statement. “With this lawsuit, we are fighting to ensure that the companies who manufactured and marketed products containing these chemicals – and put their profits ahead of public health in the process – are brought to justice for their wrongdoing.”

The foam was created by numerous companies, including the 3M Company (formerly known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.), Angus Fire, The Ansul Company, Buckeye Fire Protection Company; Chemguard, and National Foam. All are named in the lawsuit.

The announcement of the lawsuit against the manufacturers on Friday comes just a day after the Horsham Township Council passed a resolution demanding that the military be fully financially responsible for water remediation efforts.

Perhaps of note, a letter addressed to the Department of Defense from Horsham Township explicitly notes that "our only interest is the prompt remediation" of the water contamination. The township did not seek legal damages from the government. Instead, litigation - brought forth by the consumer advocate law firm - is targeting the producers.

In August, the Air Force announced that they would stop using foams containing the chemicals.

The lawsuit states that producers of the foams should have known that inclusion of PFOS and PFOA could pose a major risk to the environment and human health. Companies did not warn about this potential for harm.

Contamination of ground water took place for over 40 years, the lawsuit alleges.

“In Pennsylvania, big business once again disregarded public health in favor of boosting their bottom line,” Erin Brockovich said in a statement. “We need to send the message that these corporations cannot put profits ahead of people’s health; this lawsuit is intended to remedy that wrong.”

Weitz and Luxenberg held several community meetings with citizens in Horsham and the surrounding area.

The lawsuit adds that PFOS and PFOA are connected to testicular and kidney cancers, thyroid disease, hypertension, and other ailments.

Patch file photo.