Court approves 3M settlement over ‘forever chemicals’ in public drinking water systems
Chemical maker 3M will begin making payments to many U.S. public drinking water systems starting in the third quarter as part of a multibillion-dollar settlement over contamination from potentially harmful substances used in firefighting foam and several consumer products, the company said.
St. Paul, Minnesota-based 3M announced Monday that its settlement of last year’s lawsuit has received final approval from the U.S. District Court in Charleston, South Carolina.
The agreement called for payouts through 2036. Depending on what additional contamination is found, the amount paid out will range from $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion.
“This is another important step forward for 3M as we continue to deliver on our priorities. The final approval of this settlement and continued progress toward ending all PFAS production by the end of 2025 will advance our efforts to reduce risk and uncertainty moving forward,” said 3M Chairman and CEO Mike Roman , in a press release.
The deal compensates water suppliers for contamination with per- and polyfluorinated compounds, collectively known as PFAS – a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware.
PFAS are described as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down naturally in the environment. They have been linked to a variety of health problems, including damage to the liver and immune system and some cancers.
The compounds have been found in drinking water at various levels nationwide. The Environmental Protection Agency in March 2023 proposed strict restrictions on two common types, PFOA and PFOS, and said it wanted to regulate four others. Water suppliers would be responsible for monitoring their systems for the chemicals.
The 3M settlement first announced in June stemmed from a lawsuit by Stuart, Florida, one of about 300 communities that filed similar lawsuits against companies that produced firefighting foam or the PFAS it contained. The payment will help cover the costs of filtering PFAS from systems.
Some of the settlement money will help test additional water systems for contamination by PFAS, said Scott Summy, one of the lead attorneys for those suing 3M and other manufacturers. They have until June 2026 to apply for compensation if contamination is detected.
“That’s great news for American citizens who drink that water,” Summy said. “It will help rid our public drinking water systems of PFAS, and that is the most important part of the settlement.”
DuPont also reached Nemours Inc. and spin-offs Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. last June, a $1.18 billion deal to resolve PFAS complaints from about 300 drinking water companies. Several states, airports, firefighter training facilities and private well owners have also filed suit.