LOS ANGELES, CALIF., USA, May 18, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- A popular Nike duffle bag featuring the Air Jordan Jumpman logo contains “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, decreased fertility and developmental issues in children, according to a new lawsuit.

An independent laboratory analysis revealed the bag’s water-resistant coating contains PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.” The white-and-black bags sport a red Jumpman and sell for $45 at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Nike and Dick’s are both named in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles for selling the bags in violation of California Health and Safety code. Businesses are required to provide a clear and reasonable warning to Californians about potential exposures to chemicals that are known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

“Nike, one of the most famous companies in the world, has flunked its own pledge to be PFAS free and has failed American consumers by selling products manufactured in factories overseas in places most likely to use PFAS,” said Los Angeles environmental attorney Vineet Dubey, of Custodio and Dubey LLP, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Ecological Alliance LLP. The Laguna Hills, Calif. consumer group tests foods and other products for compliance with California’s health and safety laws.

Commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are widely used in waterproof and stain-resistant products. However, they have been linked to health risks such as cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, decreased fertility, and developmental issues. PFAS can accumulate in the body and persist in the environment for decades without breaking down, posing ongoing risks to human health. Exposure occurs through skin contact, inhalation or ingestion.

“The contagion of PFAS added to consumer goods has quietly taken place over the past 35 years,” Dubey said. Confirming their presence has been difficult because laboratories must be set up to detect them in parts per trillion.

“For far too long, American consumers have been getting poisoned with these chemicals. Nike and other companies must immediately put testing protocols into place for all manufactured goods and find safe ways to waterproof their products, ensuring the safety of consumers,” he said.

Sales of this bag, and anything else Nike makes that contains PFAS, will no longer be legal to sell in California, starting in 2025, Dubey noted. AB-1817, prohibits the manufacture, distribution, sale, or offer of textile articles containing PFAS chemicals.

“The Air Jordan brand, with its Jumpman symbol, is one of the most recognizable brands in the world today,” Dubey said. “Consumers should expect Jordan brand products to provide the highest level of quality and fashion, and not contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals.”

The lawsuit was filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court; Ecological Alliance, LLC v. Nike, Inc. and Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc., 23STCV10978 (May 15, 2023).

Vineet Dubey, a co-founding partner of Los Angeles-based Custodio & Dubey LLP, has dedicated his law career to pursuing environmental litigation, primarily suing companies that are selling goods to the public containing toxic and cancer-causing chemicals.

SOURCES
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1817
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/health-effects/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/climate/epa-water-pfas-chemicals.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pfas-in-clothing-household-items-consumer-products-forever-chemicals/
https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/navigating-the-wild-west-of-pfas-labeling-on-clothing-1.1881604

Robert Frank
Newsroom Public Relations
+1 206-790-6324
robert@newsroompr.com
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