The state of Wisconsin and Tyco Fire Products have reached a settlement in a case concerning PFAS pollution in Marinette County. The lawsuit, filed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice in March 2022, accused Johnson Controls and Tyco Fire Products of violating the state’s hazardous substance spills law. The companies were alleged to have failed in notifying the Department of Natural Resources about a PFAS discharge and in cleaning up contamination at the Fire Technology Center in Marinette. Tyco has denied these allegations.

Settlement Details Await Court Approval

Assistant Attorney General Kevin Grzebielski announced during a recent hearing that a trial will not be necessary as both parties have reached a final settlement. “It has been reviewed by both sides. It is completed. What we need to do is have time to do our final look-over, our final review,” Grzebielski stated. The attorneys plan to present the final documents to Judge Tammy Jo Hock for her review by the end of next week. If approved, the case will be closed. If not, a hearing on June 11 will address any unresolved issues.

Tyco has reportedly spent over $100 million on efforts to address the contamination, including groundwater extraction and treatment systems, removing contaminated soils, and providing clean water to affected neighbors. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals found in products such as firefighting foam. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PFAS exposure can increase cancer risk and affect growth, learning, and women’s fertility.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.