Plastic Manufacturer Must Face Certified Class in Pollution Suit

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics must face a class of New Hampshire property owners who claim the manufacturer’s plant exposed them toxic substances, after a federal judge granted partial certification of the class.

Residents living near the former Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp. plant in Merrimack, N.H., sued the company in 2016, claiming that perfluorooctanoic acid from the facility contaminated their wells. Exposure to PFOA can increase the risk of cancer, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol, as well as effect fetal development and child health.

The plaintiffs proposed two subclasses of property owners—one class that sources from private wells, and one that sources ...