Last month, the San Diego City Attorney's Office announced it had filed suit against more than 20 chemical companies for manufacturing and steadfastly concealing the toxic nature of firefighting foams that it claims have contaminated drinking water supplies around San Diego for decades.

According to a news release from City Attorney Mara W. Elliot:

The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California in San Diego on behalf of the People of California and the City of San Diego, seeks to force the companies to pay for the costs of cleanup since they profited from selling the products containing these dangerous chemicals.

The announcement goes on to state that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in certain drinking water supplies, storm water and wastewater, and other natural resources. PFAS, commonly referred to as forever chemicals, are man-made chemicals that have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years because many chemicals in this group do not readily break down in the environment and can build up in animals, including humans. There is evidence, according to the EPA, that exposure to some of these chemicals may cause a variety of health concerns.

“Drinking water supplies potentially contaminated with PFAS have come under growing focus by regulatory agencies in California and across the nation,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing's Huntington Beach facility. “Fortunately, there are tests available to determine if certain PFAS chemicals are present in drinking water or other potable water sources. LA Testing's parent company, EMSL Analytical, Inc., is pleased to offer this type of testing at their corporate laboratory in New Jersey. They offer testing for 18 of these chemicals from water samples collected in California and many other states across the country that require specialized certification for this type of analysis.”

To learn more about water testing for PFAS, or other chemical and microbial contaminants, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794.
 

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California's leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.

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