New Jersey says chemical maker 3M agrees to 'forever chemical' settlement worth up to $450M

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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's attorney general said Tuesday chemical manufacturer 3M agreed to pay up $450 million to resolve lawsuits over natural resource contamination stemming from PFAS — commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.”

The settlement is subject to court approval and a public comment period, Attorney General Matt Platkin's office said. St. Paul, Minnesota-based 3M is expected to pay $285 million this year, with additional amounts payable over the next 25 years. The total amount could reach $450 million, Platkin's office said.

“Corporate polluters must be held accountable when they contaminate our state’s water supply," Platkin said in a statement.

PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals that have been around for decades and have now spread into the nation’s air, water and soil.

3M said in 2022 it would end all PFAS manufacturing by the end of this year. In a statement, the company said it's on track to do so.

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

PFAS were manufactured by companies such as 3M, Chemours and others because they were incredibly useful. They helped eggs slide across non-stick frying pans, ensured that firefighting foam suffocates flames and helped clothes withstand rain and keep people dry.

The chemicals resist breaking down, though, meaning they linger in the environment.

Environmental activists say PFAS makers knew about the health harms of PFAS long before they were made public. The same attributes that make the chemicals so valuable – resistance to breakdown – make them hazardous to people.

PFAS accumulate in the body, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency set their limits for drinking water at 4 parts per trillion for two common types — PFOA and PFOS — that are phased out of manufacturing but still are present in the environment.

The New Jersey settlement stems from 2019 lawsuits at the nearly 1,500-acre (607-hectare) Chambers Works site in Pennsville and Carneys Point and another location in Parlin. The settlement also resolves all other statewide claims in litigation over PFAS in firefighting material used in the state.

The lawsuits alleged the companies involved, including 3M, knew about risks from forever chemicals produced at the facilities but continued to sell them.

The attorney general said that by agreeing to settle 3M would not go to trial next week in the Chambers Works case.

New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection will use a portion of the settlement funds to “protect public health, safety and the environment from impacts caused by PFAS,” according to a joint statement from the attorney general and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.