3M, Chemours, Dupont, Corteva reach $11B PFAS settlement

Washington — Companies that have manufactured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances agreed this month to pay more than $11 billion to assist with PFAS mitigation efforts, having reached settlement agreements with public water suppliers throughout the U.S.

3M will pay more than $10.3 billion over the next 13 years to assist with PFAS mitigation efforts, according to the details of its agreements reached June 22.

Chemours Co., DuPont Co. and Corteva Inc., meanwhile, collectively will pay $1.185 billion to a settlement fund, the contribution by each determined by the Memorandum of Understanding between the companies reached in January 2021. This is according to a June 2 resolution of all their PFAS-related drinking water claims within a defined class of public water systems, mainly in the U.S.

Chemours will pay about $592 million — or 50 percent — while and DuPont and Corteva contribute $400 million and $193 million, respectively. These amounts are to be deposited into the settlement fund within 10 business days after court approval.

The agreement involving Chemours, DuPont and Corteva covers water systems that have detected PFAS at any level as well as those that require monitoring under EPA monitoring rules. This includes systems within the South Carolina aqueous film-forming foam multi-district litigation, but it is not limited to it.

In a news release issued June 22, 3M said the $10.3 billion it pays out will assist public water suppliers with PFAS treatment technologies and support mitigation efforts for eligible PWS who detect PFAS in the future.

Further, the agreement resolves current and future drinking water claims by PWS related to PFOA, PFOS, and all other PFAS. This also applies to those included in a portion of the aqueous film-forming foam multi-district litigation based in Charleston, S. C.

The agreement is subject to court approval.

"If the agreement is not approved by the court or certain agreed terms are not fulfilled, 3M is prepared to continue to defend itself in the litigation," the company said in a statement. "3M also will continue to address other PFAS litigation by defending itself in court or through negotiated resolutions, all as appropriate."

3M Chairman and CEO Mike Roman called the settlement "an important step forward" for the company, which, earlier this year, signaled its full exit from PFAS manufacturing by 2025.

The company, Roman noted, announced its exit from PFOA and PFOS manufacturing more than 20 years ago, and has invested in water filtration technology to ensure responsible chemical manufacturing operations moving forward.