Chemours, DuPont and Corteva have reached a $455 million settlement with North Carolina and 11 local entities over claims involving PFAS and other historical discharges from Chemours' Fayetteville Works facility, as well as alleged PFAS contamination unrelated to the site.

The Wilmington, Del.-based companies announced the settlement Sept. 10. The agreement covers litigation brought by the state and local entities near Fayetteville Works and includes state claims involving PFAS contamination from sources such as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF.

Payments will total $455 million over 15 years, beginning within 30 days of execution of the agreement. Chemours will be responsible for 50% of the payments, with DuPont and Corteva responsible for the remaining 50% under a 2021 memorandum of understanding among the companies.

Chemours said its share is approximately $180 million on a net present value basis and is covered by existing accruals. The company expects to pay approximately $50 million during the next 12 months. Of the total settlement, $18 million is attributed to alleged PFAS contamination unrelated to Fayetteville Works.

The agreement also provides for Chemours' $50 million escrow contribution that would have been due in September 2026 to be considered satisfied.

The settlement recognizes progress made under a 2019 consent order between Chemours and North Carolina, according to the company. Chemours said it has made substantial investments to reduce PFAS emissions from Fayetteville Works and mitigate off-site impacts in surrounding communities.

Several provisions of the consent order have been completed, while the settlement establishes procedures for remaining obligations involving off-site areas, including drinking water programs.

Chemours said the agreement provides greater clarity around liabilities associated with the claims while supporting continued operation of the Fayetteville Works manufacturing facility.

The settlement remains subject to entry of dismissals of the covered litigation.

Why it Matters

The North Carolina settlement is part of a broader pattern of PFAS-related litigation and financial exposure across the chemical industry. Chemical Processing has previously reported on settlements involving Chemours, DuPont and Corteva, as well as other major chemical companies, while coverage also has tracked the industry's efforts to develop technologies for PFAS removal and destruction.

A 2024 Chemical Processing article, "PFAS Battle Heats Up: Chemical Industry Races for Breakthrough Destruction Technologies," described the combination of increasing litigation, tighter regulation and the lack of viable replacements as pressures on chemical manufacturers. The report also covered a $316.5 million BASF settlement with public water systems and 3M's agreement to pay at least $10.3 billion over 13 years to resolve public-water-system claims, with the final amount potentially exceeding $12.5 billion.

Since then, PFAS-related settlements have continued at the state level. In May 2025, 3M agreed to pay New Jersey up to $450 million over PFAS contamination claims. Chemours, DuPont and Corteva subsequently agreed to an $875 million settlement with New Jersey covering claims involving four sites and alleged statewide PFAS pollution. Now, the latest North Carolina agreement adds another $455 million settlement involving the same three companies.

The series of settlements also illustrates the range of PFAS liabilities facing manufacturers, including claims involving drinking-water contamination, manufacturing sites, AFFF and other alleged sources of PFAS releases. At the same time, the industry continues to develop and commercialize technologies for removing and destroying PFAS from contaminated water and other waste streams.