The village of Hoosick Falls is nearing a final victory against the companies that were accused of contaminating its water supply: DuPont has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for $27 million.
In 2016, a chemical called PFOA, which had been used in the making of Teflon at a fabric-coating plant in Hoosick Falls, was discovered in the village’s water supply.
PFOA is one of thousands of substances that are known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years instead of breaking down.
Exposure to these chemicals, also called PFAS, has been linked to cancer and other health issues. PFOA in particular has been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, as well as conditions including ulcerative colitis and thyroid disease.
