[Gadsden, Ala.] On Sept. 22, The Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board here, filed a lawsuit against carpet and textile companies and their chemical suppliers, alleging they are responsible for polluting the city’s water supply with perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooactanoic acid (PFOA), according to Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles attorneys, Montgomery, Ala.
The suit, filed in the Circuit Court of Etowah County, Ala., charges that the chemicals have been released into the raw water supply, causing Gadsden water to have higher readings for the man-made chemicals. The lawsuit names more than 30 carpet companies, most based in the Dalton area and including major manufacturers.
Robert Webb, Mohawk Industries' senior director of public affairs and corporate communications, stated, “As a company committed to sustainable products and practices, Mohawk prioritizes the prudent use of natural resources and has implemented process improvements to deliver a 200 million gallon drop in water consumption since 2010. Mohawk makes choices that are good for consumers, good for communities where the company operates and good for the environment. The company will vigorously defend itself against the Gadsden Water Works’ meritless and speculative accusations.”
Stated Susan Farris, director of corporate communications, Shaw Industries, “Shaw employs safe and environmentally sound methods of protecting our carpet products. We are reviewing the complaint in order to better understand the claims.”
According to Beasley, Allen, “In May of this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new lifetime health exposure guidelines for PFOS and PFOA. After the EPA issued the new exposure limits, an advisory warning was provided to eight systems in Alabama. The EPA advisory focused on PFOA and PFOS, man-made chemical compounds that are used in the manufacture of non-stick, stain-resistant, and water-proofing coatings on fabric, cookware, firefighting foam and a variety of other consumer products.”
World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) CEO Scott Humphrey noted, “The significant effort made by the carpet industry to protect our environment should be recognized and not lost simply because of the recently filed claims. WFCA is proud that many of these manufacturers are members of the association. We applaud the multiple contributions they have made to advance the industry.”
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) are working with the Water Works and Sewer Board of Gadsden (WWSBG) to monitor for PFOS and PFOA in the community’s water system.