Foam floating in the Peshtigo River. PC: Fox 11 Online
MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The framework of a settlement has been reached between the State and Tyco Fire Products in lawsuit about PFAS pollution, but the final details have yet to be agreed upon, attorneys said Friday.
In March 2022, the state Dept. of Justice filed the civil lawsuit, alleging Johnson Controls and Tyco Fire Products violated the state’s hazardous substance spills law. According to the complaint, the companies failed to notify the DNR of a PFAS discharge. It also states they failed to clean up contamination at and around the Fire Technology Center in Marinette. Tyco has denied the allegations.
In court Friday, Asst. Attorney General Kevin Grzebielski told a judge he’s “pretty optimistic” the two sides will be able to finalize a settlement.
Defense attorney Liam Montgomery agreed, calling the talks “frustratingly slow,” but getting closer.
Another status conference was set Oct. 15 before the Brown County judge handling the case.
If no deal is reached by then, Montgomery suggested a mediator may be needed to help finish the deal.
According to its most recent posting in March, Tyco has spent more than $100 million on a groundwater extraction and treatment systems, removing contaminated soils, and providing clean water to neighbors impacted by groundwater issues.
PFAS are man-made chemicals found in a number of products, including fire-fighting foam. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PFAS can increase cancer risk and can affect growth, learning and women’s fertility.
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