AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – U.S. chemical company Chemours is liable for environmental damage in the Netherlands caused by PFAS chemicals, the Rotterdam District Court ruled on Wednesday.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, dubbed “forever chemicals” because they do not easily break down, are used in a range of products from firefighting foam to non-stick cookware, and have been linked to cancer and hormonal dysfunction.
The suit was brought by four towns in the west of the Netherlands.
In an official reaction, Chemours said it will study the ruling and that it will discuss with the towns as well as other stakeholders how concrete actions can be taken as quickly as possible.
Chemours was spun off from its legal predecessor Dupont in 2015, regrouping the latter’s performance chemicals business.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Jan Harvey and Louise Heavens)
