Latest news with #ShawIndustries
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Families file lawsuit accusing manufacturers of poisoning their land: 'You don't know what's safe'
Families file lawsuit accusing manufacturers of poisoning their land: 'You don't know what's safe' Landowners in north Georgia have filed a lawsuit alleging that carpet and chemical manufacturers contaminated soil and water with toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals. According to environmental experts, the contamination has exposed nearby families to "catastrophic" levels of PFAS. What's happening? As Atlanta News First reported, Dalton landowners have said that decades of PFAS exposure from companies like 3M, Shaw Industries, and Mohawk Industries have polluted their land, impacting their property values and posed serious health risks. Testing on a family's property near carpet plants in Dalton showed PFAS contamination. Per the lawsuit and attorneys representing Leroy and Amber Fletcher, the landowners, the test found PFAS levels thousands of times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's limit of four parts per trillion. "It could be in the deer; it could be in the fish," Amber Fletcher said, per Atlanta News First. "You don't know what's safe." Their lawsuit alleges that carpet manufacturers treated flooring materials with PFAS-containing products, which release the forever chemicals through the air. They said the chemicals were dumped into local sewers, which led to the spread of contaminated biosolids on land. The contamination is extensive, according to experts. The lawsuit claims that the companies knew the risks for decades but kept using PFAS without proper warnings or safeguards. Why does the lawsuit matter? PFAS are a group of toxic chemicals often used in the production of various everyday products, including food packaging, cosmetics, nonstick cookware, and clothing. They're also found in food and water. Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. They are known as forever chemicals because they can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down, potentially contaminating soil, water, and wildlife habitats in the process. PFAS have been linked to multiple negative health effects, including decreased birth weight, kidney and testicular cancer, and increased cholesterol levels, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The Dalton lawsuit could help raise awareness of PFAS contamination and highlight harmful corporate practices that affect nearby communities. What's being done about the contamination? Experts and lawmakers are working to limit human exposure to PFAS. Scientists are exploring ways to either remove them from drinking water or break them down into harmless compounds. Lawmakers are working to reduce PFAS exposure by keeping them out of everyday products. In Illinois, lawmakers passed the PFAS Reduction Act, a bill that aims to ban sales of certain household items containing PFAS by 2032. Similarly, the European Commission is proposing to ban forever chemicals from various consumer products. You can limit your exposure to PFAS by supporting eco-conscious brands. Learning about greenwashing also helps you identify corporate irresponsibility and understand how companies may mislead customers about their products' safety and environmental impacts. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Warren Buffett in His Twilight: 2025 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
(0:40) - What To Know Heading Into Berkshire Hathaway's Annual Meeting (7:30) - Breaking Down Warren Buffett's Stock Holdings That Should Be On Your Watchlist Right Now (33:20) - Episode Roundup: BRK.B, AAPL, AXP, BAC, CVX, OXY, MCO, KHC Podcast@ Welcome to Episode #403 of the Value Investor Podcast. Every week, Tracey Ryniec, Zacks Value Stock Strategist, and the editor of Zacks Value Investor portfolio, shares some of her top value investing tips and stock picks. For value investors, there's only one 'must' attend event each year and it's the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) annual shareholder meeting. This year, it will take place this Saturday at the CHI Health Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska. For those of you who aren't shareholders or, for whatever reason, you're not going to Omaha, you can still watch the question and answer with Warren Buffett on CNBC, which will have live coverage starting at 8:30 am EST on Saturday. At 2024's annual meeting, Warren Buffett let slip during the question and answer that it may be his last Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. He said he wasn't ill, but he was 93 years old last year. It's a year later and Buffett is still at the helm of Berkshire. He's returning to the annual meeting again, at age 94. But shareholders, and the Street, need to be realistic about the future. Warren Buffett is in the twilight of his career, not the beginning or even the middle. A CEO at the twilight is apt to make different decisions versus one at another stage. There are two things which many shareholders will be obsessing over: any sales of stocks in the portfolio, like his sales of Apple over the last year, and the $300+ billion cash hoard. And rightly so. But Berkshire Hathaway owns dozens of companies outright. And many of them are in retail or the industrial economy, like its railroad, BNSF, so they may have tariff exposure. Shareholders should be wondering how big of a hit Berkshire Hathaway will see from the tariffs. 1. Shaw Industries Shaw Industries is one of the largest carpet manufacturers in the world. Its website doesn't list where the company manufactures its flooring products but in 2021, it said that 67% of supplier spending was from the 31 states it operated. Shaw Industries had also invested $1.5 billion in US manufacturing in recent years but it does source globally. What's the tariff hit for Shaw which is a big cap company? 2. HH Brown and Justin Brands HH Brown and Justin Brands are two of Berkshire's footwear companies. Combined they own 18 brands including Born, Comfortiva, Dexter Bowling, Sofft, Tony Lama and Justin boots. Headquartered in Connecticut, there is nothing on their website about where Berkshire manufactures the shoes. Few shoes, however, are made in the United States in 2025. What's the tariff hit for HH Brown and Justin Brands? 3. Marmon Marmon is like a conglomerate within the larger Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. It has 11 industry groups globally including Marmon Metals. Marmon Metals operates metal services companies which supply specialty pipe and tubing for many industries including petrochemical, agriculture, and construction. There are tariffs on steel and aluminum right now. What's the tariff hit for Marmon Metals? 4. Oriental Trading Co. Oriental Trading Co. was founded in Omaha in 1932 and bought by Berkshire Hathaway in 2012. It was the first American wholesaler of gifts and novelties. It sells graduation gifts, party favors and decorations, craft kits and camp supplies to non-profits, schools, and large organizations. Some items are starting at low price points, for instance camp supplies starting under $3.98. There was no information on the company's website about where the thousands of items were sourced. What's the tariff hit for Oriental Trading Co.? And this is just a few of Berkshire Hathaway's companies. What will be the impact on the company's Pilot Travel Centers, which cater to truckers, if the tariffs last for several months and trucking slows? In past Berkshire Hathaway meetings, information about the company's companies has been sparse. Will Buffett speak out about the tariffs this year? Or will the spotlight just be on the cash hoard? Tune into this week's podcast to find out. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
