Reference: Adapted from The Guardian – Lawsuit Claims Gore-Tex Poisoned Drinking Water Near Maryland Facilities
Location: Elkton, Maryland
Date: April 8, 2025
Status: LITIGATION – Class Action Filed Against PFAS Giant
Threat Level: ☠☠☠☠☠ EXTREME
Overview
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against WL Gore and Associates, the company behind Gore-Tex, accusing it of poisoning local water supplies with PFAS for over four decades. Residents near the company’s Maryland manufacturing plants are reporting elevated cancer rates, birth defects, and immune disorders. The case could become a landmark moment in holding chemical giants accountable for the legacy of PFAS contamination.
Contamination Source
Since the 1980s, WL Gore allegedly discharged PFAS into the air, water, and soil near its Elkton facilities. These emissions are believed to have leached into groundwater systems, exposing entire communities to toxic compounds long before the public even knew what “PFAS” meant.
Key Details
- Residents near Gore’s Maryland plants filed a class-action lawsuit, claiming decades of chemical pollution.
- Plaintiffs accuse the company of knowingly releasing PFAS despite internal evidence of its health risks.
- Community members have experienced unusually high rates of cancer, thyroid disorders, and developmental issues.
- PFAS from Gore’s production may have traveled through wells, air deposition, and surface runoff—contaminating entire neighborhoods.
Health Impact Forecast (if unaddressed)
⬆ Long-term exposure to contaminated water and air
🧬 Increased risks of cancer, hormonal disruption, and autoimmune disease
💀 Intergenerational health impacts from sustained PFAS bioaccumulation
Real Talk from the Field
“They’ve been breathing it, drinking it, living in it since the Reagan era. And only now are they being heard.”
— Class Action Attorney, Maryland
“This isn’t just a corporate scandal. It’s environmental assault.”
— Local Resident, PFAS Affected Zone
“We’ve worn their jackets for years. Turns out the real Gore-Tex was in the water.”
— PFAS PLANET Commenter, Anonymous Chainpost
What’s Next?
- The class-action suit moves forward, with discovery expected to uncover internal documents on Gore’s PFAS use.
- Similar lawsuits could emerge nationwide—many manufacturers used PFAS in breathable fabrics and coatings.
- Federal and state regulators may reexamine legacy PFAS contamination at industrial sites across the U.S.
- Public pressure mounts for Gore to fund long-term water filtration and health screenings for affected communities.
Message to the Collective
When the gear that kept us dry in storms turns out to be the source of the storm itself, we know we’re deep in PFAS PLANET. These forever chemicals don’t just cling to fabric—they cling to bloodstreams, family trees, and legal systems still catching up. Accountability is long overdue. The rain jacket wasn’t supposed to come with a cancer warning.
Stay loud. Stay litigious.
This is PFAS PLANET.
