A Northwest Georgia lawmaker plans to revive a bill that would shield major carpet manufacturers like Mohawk Industries from lawsuits regarding “forever chemicals.”
In pledging to bring the bill back, he referenced environmental activist Erin Brockovich, who is working with lawyers who are suing over chemicals known as PFAS that were used in carpet.
“We will be pursuing it next session because the reality is Erin Brockovich did not know where Dalton, Georgia, was until she was hired to help these guys make 40% of all settlements,” state Rep. Kasey Carpenter, R-Dalton, said in an email. “It is a money grab, unfortunately. They need to focus their attention on chemical manufacturers who misled everyone.”
PFAS Georgia, a group consisting of several lawyers and non-attorney spokesperson Brockovich, is representing about 18 Georgia families in a trio of lawsuits against flooring makers Mohawk Industries and Shaw Industries as well as the chemical manufacturers 3M Co., the Chemours Co., Corteva Inc. and others.