by Brock Fortman

Bellbrook backs Fairborn in filing suit against more than 30 businesses over claims of contamination in the city’s water supply with a group of chemicals known as PFAS. The 48-page lawsuit was filed in late October at Greene County Common Pleas Court which named several high-profile companies like 3M, DuPont, Tyco Fire Products, and others totaling 32 named companies and 49 unnamed defendants, according to court records obtained by News Center 7.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are toxic, persistent, man-made substances that have been linked to a host of ailments, including cancer, pregnancy defects, and liver and immune problems, Tasha Stoiber said, a senior scientist at Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group.

These chemicals are used in a wide range of products, including non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foam. These chemicals are extremely stable and do not break down easily in the environment, which has led to widespread contamination of water supplies across the United States.

In Bellbrook, PFAS contamination has been found in the city’s water supply, and residents have reported health issues such as kidney and thyroid problems as a result. The city has responded by filing a lawsuit against several companies that produce or use PFAS, alleging that they are responsible for the contamination and seeking damages for the harm caused to the city and its residents. “The city has and continues to treat the water, but the price to keep it clean and safe is not cheap. Now, the city wants to hold the companies they’re suing accountable,” Bellbrook City Manager Rob Schommer said in a WHIO article.

The lawsuit is part of a growing movement to hold companies accountable for PFAS contamination and protect the public from the harmful effects of these chemicals. Many other cities and states across the country are also taking legal action against PFAS producers and users, and the Environmental Protection Agency has taken steps to regulate the use of these chemicals.