A Wisconsin company that makes firefighting foam knew its toxic products were contaminating groundwater at least four years before notifying residents, according to state records.
The company was found to have some of the highest known concentrations of the chemicals in groundwater and soil in Wisconsin, according to the records.
In November 2017, Tyco, a Johnson Controls International unit, acknowledged that the chemicals had spread beyond its Marinette facility and suspended spraying foam products outdoors.
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State officials said Wisconsin law requires companies to immediately report pollution , but the company defended its actions by saying that little was known about PFAS at the time.
"In 2013, there was not the level of awareness and information as there is today associated with PFOS/PFOA," said Fraser Engerman, a spokesman for Johnson Controls International.
Tyco has also claimed that the company didn’t know about contamination beyond the property until 2016.
Doug Oitzinger, the city’s former mayor, dismissed Tyco’s explanation.
"This isn’t news to them," he said.
Janell and Duane Goldsmith have twice tested their well water and found chemical contamination above the federal health advisory threshold.