Chemours, DuPont and Corteva Settle $875 Million New Jersey PFAS Claims

Climate|Chemical Makers to Pay N.J. $875 Million to Settle ‘Forever Chemicals’ Claims

In what officials say is the largest environmental settlement ever won by a state, chemical giants Chemours, DuPont and Corteva agreed on Monday to pay New Jersey $875 million over the next quarter-century to settle claims linked to pollution from so-called “forever chemicals.”

Under the deal, the companies are required to fund the cleanup of four former industrial sites, create a remediation fund of up to $1.2 billion and set aside a reserve of $475 million to ensure that the cleanup will be completed if any of the companies go bankrupt or default.

The agreement brings to justice “corporate polluters who, for decades, have knowingly contaminated our land and water with PFAS and other dangerous chemicals,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin in a statement, referring to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are also known as “forever chemicals.”

“PFAS are particularly insidious,” Mr. Platkin wrote. “These dangerous chemicals build up and accumulate everywhere, and New Jersey has some of the highest levels of PFAS in the country.”

PFAS are a class of nearly 15,000 chemicals that are highly resistant to heat, water and oil, and persist in the environment, earning them the name “forever chemicals.” They are found in everyday items like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant carpets and cosmetics, and are also used widely in firefighting foam.

They enter the environment — and drinking water supplies — in myriad ways, including from spills, landfills, factories and wastewater treatment plants.

In humans, exposure to PFAS can cause damage to the liver and immune system, and the chemicals have also been linked to low birth weight, birth defects and developmental delays as well as increased risk of some prostate, kidney and testicular cancers.

In recent years, states across the country have sued PFAS manufacturers, accusing them of widespread environmental contamination. The lawsuits have also charged that the companies hid evidence of the dangers of PFAS for decades.

Some companies are starting to settle these cases. In one early deal announced in 2018, 3M agreed to pay Minnesota $850 million to settle PFAS contamination claims.

But New Jersey has been particularly aggressive. In May, it secured a settlement with 3M of up to $450 million over 25 years to settle claims it contaminated the state with PFAS, affecting its drinking water. That came after the state reached a $393 million deal with the U.S. branch of the Belgian chemicals company Solvay in 2023, and a $33 million settlement with Arkema Inc., both over PFAS.

The latest agreement addresses contamination at four manufacturing sites previously operated by the companies, including the Pompton Lakes Works site in Passaic County, where DuPont previously manufactured explosives components, and the Chambers Works facility in Salem County, where the company produced dyes, refrigerants and other chemicals.

Chemours, which was created through a spinoff from DuPont in 2015, will cover half of the settlement, DuPont will pay approximately 36 percent, and Corteva will contribute the remaining 14 percent, the companies said in a statement.

“The settlement will resolve all legacy contamination claims related to the companies’ current and former operating sites,” they said.

Separately, the chemical companies have entered into multi-billion-dollar agreements with public water systems across the country to tackle widespread contamination of drinking water with PFAS.