In our first two-part episode, we dive into the troubling existence of a group of chemicals referred to as PFAS, with the nickname “Forever Chemicals,” because they stubbornly hang around in water, air, fish, soil, people, and animals.
PFAS — which stands for
per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals — are man-made creations that have
been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s.
There are more than 4,000 of them, so it’s a big family. They can be
found in non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant
fabrics and carpets, cosmetics, firefighting foams, and products that
resist grease, water, and oil. Studies have shown that exposure to some
PFAS in the environment may be harmful to humans and animals.
PFAS
contamination has sparked some major litigation, with some cases
involving hundreds or thousands of individuals that have settled for
hundreds of millions of dollars. The PFAS issue is significant enough
that — despite so many other pressing issues — the White House made
it a top priority, kicking eight federal departments into gear to tackle
the situation. It’s a hot topic that’s going to be with us for many
years.
In Part 1 of the episode, we discussed the PFAS from the
scientific and environmental engineering perspective. And to do that I
was fortunate to have Jim Fenstermacher and Dr. Jaana Pietari from the global engineering firm Ramboll. Jim and Jaana have deep experience in environmental remediation involving a variety of contaminants, including PFAS.
In Part 2, I am joined by Robert Chesler of Anderson Kill.
Bob is a long-time expert on insurance coverage for long-tail and other
claims. He’s considered a guru in the field, and has represented
policyholders in disputes over coverage with insurers for as long as
I’ve known him.
It’s a serious subject and these are seriously
qualified folks. I did my part to make a mockery of scientific terms as I
struggled to say the name of this family of chemicals. Fortunately for
you my guests were much more linguistically nimble and it is their
voices you will hear more of.
This podcast is the audio companion to the Journal on Emerging Issues in Litigation, a collaborative project between HB Litigation Conferences and the Fastcase legal research family, which includes Full Court Press, Law Street Media, and Docket Alarm. The podcast itself is a joint effort between HB and Law Street Media. If you have comments or wish to participate in one our projects, or want to tell me how much you learned from Jaana, Jim and Bob, please drop me a note at Editor@LitigationConferences.com.
