Goldman Sachs Company Tries to Dodge Liability for PFAS Contamination as Lawsuits Gain Speed

PFAS contamination lawsuits are beginning to gain momentum as more are formed and filed nationwide after the Biden Administration limited the amount of “acceptable” PFAS chemicals in drinking water. In response, corporations are looking for ways to try to dodge liability for damaging soil, groundwater, and lives through the use and disposal of PFAS substances, including Synagro, a waste recycling company owned by Goldman Sachs.

Synagro Lobbies Congress to Sidestep PFAS Liability

According to recent disclosure forms, Synagro has spent nearly a quarter of a million dollars to lobby members of Congress through the Coalition of Recyclers of Residual Organics by Practitioners of Sustainability (CRROPS), which the company established in 2022. CRROPS and Synagro argue that the Goldman Sachs-owned company should not be liable for PFAS contamination caused by the sludge it manufactured and sold. “Sludge” is a kind of fertilizer produced by filtering water from sewage, and it is used to fertilize roughly 20% of all farmland in America. Based on the company’s arguments, the sewage that Synagro obtained to manufacture sludge was the source of the PFAS contamination, not the sludge itself, so Synagro should not be liable for subsequent PFAS contamination.

The motivation behind Synagro’s recent lobbying attempts is clear because the company is already facing several PFAS contamination lawsuits. Perhaps most prominently, ranchers in Texas have sued Synagro after 32 types of PFAS chemicals were identified in the rancher’s soil and water sources, potentially damaging their businesses and putting their health at risk, as well as the well-being of their communities. The lawsuits argue that Synagro cannot dodge liability because it knew that PFAS chemicals were dangerous – an issue that has been common knowledge since the ‘90s – but continued to manufacture sludge that had been contaminated by it.

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Will Synagro Face More PFAS Lawsuits?

Whether Synagro and other manufacturing companies and mega-corporations like Goldman Sachs can escape liability for PFAS contamination may depend on Congress. With PFAS contamination lawsuits adding up and gaining speed, how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) views PFAS in the future could change the course of those lawsuits. Members of the incoming Trump Administration have argued that PFAS should not be considered a hazardous substance until further scientific review and for widespread EPA deregulation overall.

Who Can File a PFAS Contamination Lawsuit?

With looming uncertainty over how the U.S. government will classify PFAS and similar chemicals, now is the time to get a PFAS contamination lawsuit moving if you think you can file one. Many PFAS contamination lawsuits already filed against Synagro and other corporations have been brought by landowners, ranchers, water treatment companies, and municipalities, but it might be possible for individual plaintiffs to start claims, too.

Portner & Shure, P.A. is here to help you explore your legal options if you think you, your family, or your business were harmed by PFAS contamination originating from a corporation’s negligence. For select PFAS contamination cases, we can help clients nationwide. Call (410) 995-1515 to arrange a FREE case review to learn more.