New Jersey Environmental Tort Lawsuit Filed By Pompton Lakes Residents

Hundreds of residents of a New Jersey town have filed a toxic tort lawsuit against E.I. DuPont and Royle Systems Group for allegedly releasing dangerous contaminants into the community around Pompton Lakes and refusing to clean up the mess. 

The Pompton Lakes, New Jersey environmental tort lawsuit was filed on March 4 in the Superior Court in Passaic County, N.J. More than 350 residents of the Passaic County borough are expected to eventually file claims involving allegations that DuPont and Royle caused homes to lose value and exposed residents to hazardous chemicals due to toxic releases from a munitions factor DuPont operated there from 1902 to 1994. Royle had an equipment manufacturing facility on part of the site from 1976 through 2009.

The claims are supported by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports in 2008, which determined chemicals released by the facility into the local groundwater were vaporizing in the soil and then seeping into residents’ homes through the basements. In 1998, DuPont allegedly sent letters to residents saying there was no reason to suspect that there was vapor intrusion.

Did You Know?

Ticketmaster Data Breach Impacts Millions of Customers

A massive Ticketmaster data breach exposed the names, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers and other personal information of more than 560 million customers, which have now been released on the dark web. Lawsuits are being pursued to obtain financial compensation.

Learn More

State environmental investigators have determined that residents in the area affected by the vapor intrusions have elevated rates of kidney cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Both health problems have been linked to PCE and TCE; chemicals used at the facilities to degrease machinery. However, the state said it could not make a direct causal link between the chemicals and the elevated cancer risks.

Since then, DuPont has agreed to install venting systems in Pompton Lake homes that would remove the vapors. The company is expected to submit plans for the installation of the systems in June.

Groundwater contamination from the facility has been confirmed by groundwater testing since the 1980s, and DuPont has been sued repeatedly by local residents who have used the courts to force the company to perform cleanup operations on the site.

The newest lawsuits claim that DuPont and Royle knew or should have known since the 1990s that there was risk of vapor intrusion by toxic chemicals released into the groundwater. They also claim that the companies took no real steps to remove or reduce the risk of exposure to residents.

0 Comments

Share Your Comments

I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Zimmer Biomet CPT Hip System Linked to Increased Risk of Thigh Bone Fractures, FDA Warns
Zimmer Biomet CPT Hip System Linked to Increased Risk of Thigh Bone Fractures, FDA Warns (Posted today)

The FDA has issued a safety communication warning that Zimmer Biomet CPT hip system femoral stems may increase the risk of femur fractures, calling for doctors to avoid its use when possible.

Change Healthcare Data Breach Lawyers Meeting Today With MDL Judge For Initial Status Conference
Change Healthcare Data Breach Lawyers Meeting Today With MDL Judge For Initial Status Conference (Posted yesterday)

The judge presiding over all Change Healthcare lawsuits filed in federal court is holding the first status conference of the litigation, which is expected to grow significantly as Change Healthcare data breach letters continue to be sent to impacted customers.

Angiodynamics LifePort Lawsuit Filed Over Risk of the Port Catheters Failing, Causing Severe Injury
Angiodynamics LifePort Lawsuit Filed Over Risk of the Port Catheters Failing, Causing Severe Injury (Posted 2 days ago)

Complaint comes as a panel of federal judges are scheduled to hear oral arguments later this month, to determine whether all AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits filed in U.S. District Courts nationwide should be centralized before one judge.