Settlement follows another one reached with Ohio in 2023 for similar claims related to ‘forever chemicals’
Chemours, DuPont and Corteva have agreed to pay $875m over 25 years to the state of New Jersey to settle environmental claims including pollution linked to Pfas, or “forever chemicals”, the companies said on Monday.
Lawsuits accusing major chemical companies of polluting US drinking water with toxic Pfas chemicals led to more than $11bn in settlements in 2023, with experts predicting that new federal regulations and a growing awareness of the breadth of the contamination will spur more litigation and settlements.
Pfas are a class of chemicals that are used in a wide range of products including non-stick cookware and firefighting foams. They are commonly called “forever chemicals” as these substances do not break down easily in the human body or nature, and are associated with certain cancers, hormonal dysfunction and other health problems.
The payments announced on Monday, whose present value is about $500m before taxes, will start no earlier than 1 January 2026.
