Since Napoli Shkolnik filed a class action suit in December 2024, alleging that 3M is responsible for PFAS-contaminated well water in the Village of Maine, in Marathon County, 25 plaintiffs have joined. 

The lawsuit alleges that 3M used PFAS chemicals to color granules used in roofing shingles. Fine powder, a byproduct of that process, was spread over the roads at the 3M Greystone quarry. The byproduct, sometimes called 3M fill material, was sold as a commercial product around Maine and Wausau around 30-40 years ago. “Every time you mention the 3M fill material, [clients] say ‘Oh yeah, I brought that in! I used that for this and that' said the Napoli Shkolnik attorney, Gabriel Vazquez. 

Vazquez said homeowners in Maine used the byproduct for residential construction, such as for levelling foundations. The roads in Maine were paved with it, and the powder was also used as a traction aid on those roads in wintertime.  

Vazquez said Napoli Shkolnik is still investigating as litigation begins. He was in the Wausau area in early May, hosting an informational session about PFAS for residents.  

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