3M Co., a chemical manufacturer, said that it would pay at least $10.3 billion to resolve claims related to the pollution of several public drinking water systems in the United States by potentially dangerous substances used in firefighting foam and other consumer goods.
The agreement made on Thursday, June 22, will reimburse water providers for contamination caused by per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), a family of chemicals often found in items designed to resist stain, water, and grease.
A number of health issues, including liver and immune-system damage and different kinds of cancer, have been linked to PFAS. This group of chemicals is called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down naturally in the environment.
Water Sources Contain Harmful Chemicals
Different amounts of the substances have been found in water supplies around the country. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggested severe restrictions on two major varieties, PFOA and PFOS. It said it sought to regulate four others, according to the New York Post.
Companies that provide water would have to keep an eye out for the presence of contaminants.
Stuart, Florida, is the plaintiff in the lawsuit that would be settled under the deal. It is only one of nearly 300 municipalities that have filed similar complaints against corporations that made firefighting foam or the PFAS it contained.
The deal, as described by 3M chairman Mike Roman, is "an important step forward" that expands on the company's pledge to eliminate the use of PFOA and PFOS by 2020 and its investments in "state-of-the-art water filtration technology" in its chemical manufacturing facilities. He promised that by the end of 2025, the firm will stop making PFAS, as reported by Reuters.
The settlement amount is up to $12.5 billion and will be paid out over 13 years. Dallas-based attorney Scott Summy, one of the primary lawyers for those suing 3M and others, said this hinges on how many public water systems obtain PFAS during EPA-mandated testing in the next three years.
The money would be used to filter PFAS out of systems where it has been found and to evaluate additional systems. Summy stated, "The result is that millions of Americans will have healthier lives without PFAS in their drinking water."
Offices, Corporations, and Private Well Owners Have Also Brought Lawsuits
Earlier this month, DuPont de Nemours Inc. and its spinoffs Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. negotiated a $1.19 billion settlement with many drinking water providers, according to The New York Times. Lawsuits have also been filed on behalf of many governments, airports, firefighter training sites, and private well owners.
Thousands of lawsuits claiming harm from PFAS are now underway before Judge Richard Gergel in US District Court in Charleston, South Carolina. Firefighter training exercises at airports, military bases, and other places around the US that routinely employed foams laced with high quantities of PFAS have been the primary source of litigation.
