PFAS Collection

Contains documents pertaining to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. PFAS chemicals are found in many consumer products: non-stick cookware (Teflon), food packaging, waterproof clothing, and stain resistant materials. These synthetic chemicals have been linked to cancer and other health problems. PFAS are now found in both the drinking water supply of the US and the blood of approx 99% of Americans.

This initial set of PFAS documents were featured in the 2018 Sundance Film "The Devil We Know", a compelling story of citizens in West Virginia who, with the expertise of attorney Rob Bilott, took on the chemical giant DuPont when they realized it was dumping a toxin into their drinking water and air. They filed one of the largest class action lawsuits in the history of environmental law and that settlement sparked the creation of a C8 Science Panel as well as a far-reaching health project aimed at collecting medical information on exposed populations to investigate whether there were direct lines from C8 to specific diseases. In 2017 DuPont agreed to a $671 million settlement of 3,550 individual C8 cases but denies any wrongdoing.

Dating from the 1970s-2000s, these internal documents discuss the toxicity of C-8, pending litigation, and DuPont's messaging around the exposure levels found in the buildings and surrounding areas.