New Lawsuit Claims That Costco Sold Baby Wipes Containing PFAS Known To Cause Cancer
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK (July 30, 2024) – A lawsuit claims that Costco sold baby wipes with unsafe levels of synthetic PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ that are known to be harmful.
The lawsuit claims that the chemicals in the wipes can lead to harmful health outcomes, including cancer and immune system effects. Both Costco and the manufacturer, Nice-Pak Products Inc. are targets in the lawsuit.
According to court documents, the Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes contained 3.7 parts per billion of PFAS after being tested by a Department of Defense Laboratory.
A government study in 2023 revealed that drinking water from nearly half of all US faucets contained “forever chemicals.”
Liability For Forever Chemical Exposure
PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) remain in the environment for long periods of time. According to the National Institutes of Health, “PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest, these chemicals do not degrade easily in the environment.” People can be exposed to PFAS in a variety of different ways.
- Drinking water
- Food
- Household products
- Industrial exposure
- Dust
- Air and soil
Companies that create household products have a legal obligation to ensure that they are reasonably safe. They must abide by industry standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and other organizations. If a company fails to warn about the hazards of a product that they create, this could form the basis of a product liability claim. PFAS are linked to a number of serious health ailments.
- Cancer
- Liver damage
- Thyroid disease
- Immune system effects
- Ulcerative colitis
Companies must ensure that their products do not contain high levels of PFAS. To that end, they must conduct testing on those products. But far too often, key safety measures are neglected in order to cut down on costs. This can have catastrophic health consequences for those who have long term exposure to dangerous products with PFAS. Any person who develops an illness associated with long term exposure to PFAS may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Getting Legal Help After Forever Chemical Exposure
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. were deeply concerned to hear about the PFAS found with the Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes sold at Costco. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent other products with PFAS from being sold. Generating profits should never be prioritized over the safety of the public.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured by PFAS from Costco baby wipes? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the support and justice that they deserve under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
