The payment will be made over the next 13 years. It will fund public water supplies across the country that have detected per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), also known as “forever chemicals,” and public water systems that could see them in the future. The settlement is expected to prevent further litigation and provide the funding to ensure consumers are not drinking contaminated water. The payment will also be used to fund PWS testing nationally.
“This is an important step forward for 3M, which builds on our actions that include our announced exit of PFOA and PFOS manufacturing more than 20 years ago, our more recent investments in state-of-the-art water filtration technology in our chemical manufacturing operations, and our announcement that we will exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025,” said 3M CEO and Chairman Mike Roman in a statement.
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3M and other chemical companies are facing over 4,000 lawsuits related to PFA water contamination. The company has not admitted liability throughout these cases—one such suit involved 3M selling contaminated firefighting foam that poisoned local soil and groundwater in Florida.
PFAs have been linked to cancer, hormonal dysfunction, and environmental damage. Their existence is considered an “urgent public health and environmental issue” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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