3M Settles PFAS Contamination Claims with New Jersey for Up to $450 Million

3M will pay the state of New Jersey up to $450 million through the next 25 years to settle claims of PFAS contamination.

The Maplewood, Minnesota-based manufacturer sold the “forever chemicals” to the DuPont Chambers Works facility in New Jersey for many years. Chemours, a spinoff of chemical company DuPont, now owns the site. New Jersey sued the companies in 2019 for a range of contaminants, including PFAS.

3M said the settlement does not amount to an admission of guilt and also puts to rest “broader statewide PFAS claims that the state and its departments have, or may in the future have, against 3M.”

“This agreement is another important step toward reducing risk and uncertainty on these legacy issues, allowing 3M to focus on its strategic priorities,” the company said in a news release Monday.

The settlement comes in addition to a landmark 2023 deal with municipal water providers around the country worth up to $12.5 billion. 3M previously reached a PFAS settlement with Minnesota worth $850 million in 2018.

The size of the New Jersey settlement, which starts at $400 million, will ultimately depend on how much is paid in the water systems deal in the coming years. 3M is taking a $285 million charge in the current quarter.

Several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been linked to cancer and other illnesses. PFAS do not readily break down in the environment because of the strong chemical bonds that make them useful for waterproofing and heat control.

3M remains on track to quit manufacturing PFAS by the end of the year. The chemicals could still show up in parts and products third-party suppliers supply beyond that self-imposed deadline, however.

The company faces potentially billions more in liability for legacy PFAS contamination, analysts have estimated. The first bellwether trial related to more than 9,000 PFAS-firefighting-foam claims is scheduled for October if a settlement is not reached before then.

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