in our spotlight on business report tonight a landmark pollution trial over toxic contamination at a sprawling chemical plant in Salem County kicked off this week state officials sued DuPont and its spin-off Kors 5 years ago over decades of PAS contamination also known as forever chemicals that are widely used in industrial and consumer products like non-stick pans they're extremely resilient substances that just don't break down and they're a threat to human health the Chambers work site at the foot of the Delaware Memorial Bridge has long been a hub of PAS use and state authorities say surrounding communities and environments have paid a heavy price but while other companies have settled similar cases DuPont and Camores are fighting back making the trial the first of its kind in New Jersey ted Goldberg was in federal court for the start of arguments [Music] i think we've had a good day in court today d Commissioner Sha Lerette was optimistic after his three hours of testimony Monday where he sharply criticized DuPont in district court and laid the groundwork for the state's case against them the judge is is really paying attention to to this case and to its details this kind of thing is really complicated right understanding the nature of chemicals how far they spread the harm they can do it is incredibly complicated stuff i think the state of New Jersey presented a very compelling case delaware Riverkeeper Maya Van Rossom was in the gallery sitting in on the massive lawsuit between New Jersey and chemical companies that operated on the Chamers's work site in Salem County dupont until 2015 and Keor since then we have PAS contamination of the fish that live in the Delaware River it's so insidious and of course PAS PAOA various um members of this man-made family of chemicals is literally in the bodies of people in New Jersey and nationwide having devastating health consequences dupont's lawyers who did not respond to our request for comment by deadline admitted that their client did pollute on the site but not to the extent that the state says they did in their opening statement they say their client followed the law according to their permits and that the DP did not take regulatory action over a 12-year period ending in 2017 later disputed this in his testimony accusing DuPont of misleading regulators about how much pollution was happening we do not believe that the contamination at and emanating from this site has been fully cleaned up and unfortunately we find ourselves in court to enforce the law uh and we're we're grateful for this judge who is rolling up her sleeves here in the case larret used to work as a lawyer in private practice and DuPont's defense included an opinion Lretet wrote 14 years ago while defending Essex Chemical lawyers uh who have a past in working on cases sometimes others see fit to to bring that sort of thing up uh it doesn't surprise me but uh it also isn't incredibly effective another chemical giant 3M was originally included on this case for supplying the PAS used at Chambers Works but they settled with the state for $450 million attorney General Matt Plin spoke about it last week we're going to pursue accountability against anyone and everyone who had a role in contaminating our state with POS so let today's historic settlement serve as a reminder you will not escape accountability and we will pursue every case until we have achieved justice for every New Jerseyian and I know again we're prepared to go to trial so if you have a case with us I encourage you to resolve it sometimes unfortunately we don't get the degree of compliance that the law requires uh from from these defendants obviously we're in court but from others and I I hope it stands as a message that you know we expect first and foremost for those who discharge hazardous substances into the environment contaminants pollutants that they clean them up the case has been broken down into several mini trials starting with this week's bench trial to determine if DuPont and Chemores violated the Spill Act and Brownfield Act lzerat argues they did and that DuPont didn't go far enough in warning the federal government about the risks of forever chemicals i think that's what this trial will explore very precisely uh in the days to come so I think this is incredibly important to the to the people of New Jersey uh the degree of information that was shared uh and why we find ourselves in the in the place that we do now uh it's we shouldn't have to be here but we are and I think all of this will uh be on full display throughout this trial dupont's lawyers argued that the DP didn't regulate PFOA a common forever chemical as a hazardous substance until 2020 and that the company worked with hundreds of homeowners to clean their wellwater what both sides can agree on is that this case could have huge repercussions going forward as state governments reckon with PIFA i think that this case really is going to send a message loud and clear that's going to reverberate across the nation and I hope the message is to say to these industrial operations that have used this dangerous family of chemicals in their operations and allowed it you need to take responsibility for the devastating consequences you have inflicted on our environment on our communities on people's lives and on people's bodies don't make government agencies take you to court you take responsibility a statement from Camores didn't comment on the litigation but highlighted steps the company says it's taking to reduce emissions and monitor its groundwater later says the first of these many trials could stretch into the summer and even the early fall as New Jersey and the chemical companies duke it out in district court in Camden i'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight News support for the business report is provided by Riverview Jazz presenting the 12th annual Jersey City Jazz Festival May 27th to the 31st event details including performance schedules and location are online at jerseycityjazzfestestival.com [Music]