3 million to pay New Jersey up to $ 450 million for drinking water pollution

3M will pay New Jersey up to $ 450 million in the coming quarter century to arrange the claims that the state polluted with harmful ‘forever chemicals’ or PFAs that influence drinking water.

The Chemical Gigant, based in Minnesota, produced the PFAs, which were used for decades in the Chambers Works facility in Deepwater, NJ, a complex of almost 1500 hectares on the banks of the Delaware river. The site was owned by Dupont, a rival company.

It is the largest single-clean-water settlement in the history of New Jersey, the state said. New Jersey sued 3M, Dupont and other PFAS manufacturers in 2019 and said that the facility had contaminated drinking water.

PFAS, or per and polyfluoralkyl fabrics, is used in various daily products such as anti-stick cooking utensils, water-repellent clothing and stain-resistant carpets. Exposure to the chemicals is linked to Metabolic disorders, reduced fertility in women and development arrears in children, as well as an increased risk of some prostate, kidney and testicular cancers.

According to the settlement announced Tuesday, 3M New Jersey will pay between $ 400 million to $ 450 million in 25 years to pay compensation, as well as cleaning up and drinking water treatment.

Dupont and his chemical spin -off chemours, who now have the Chambers Works facility, were not part of the settlement, said New Jersey. The remaining parties are expected to be tried in the case. Dupont refused to comment.

“Business polluters must be held responsible when they pollute the water supply of our state,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin in New Jersey in a statement. “For decades, 3M knew that their PFAS chemicals polluted the New Jersey environment forever. But they continued to pollute the environment and escaped accountability,” he said. “That ends now.”

According to the Environmental Protection AgencyThe Chambers works a once manufactured gunpowder and radiological material and has contributed to the development of the atomic bomb. It produced more recently different chemicals, including PFAs.

Shawn M. Latourette, the New Jersey commissioner for environmental protection, said that infection in the state went much further than drinking water. ‘We find PFAs all over the state of New Jersey, outing of landfills, and even in the bottom of distant external forests in New Jersey that must be unspoilt, “he said.

New Jersey is the second well -known state to settle with 3M about PFAS claims with drinking water pollution. In 2018, 3m agreed to pay $ 850 million in Minnesota for the pollution of drinking water and natural resources in the metropolitan area of ​​Twin Cities.

In 2023, also 3m reached a national scheme With public water suppliers for a maximum of $ 12.5 billion to tackle PFAS infection in drinking water.

3M said that the agreement was an “important step to reduce the risk and uncertainty” around historic PFAS infection. The company said in 2000 that it voluntarily threw the production of two important types of PFAs, and it has said that it is on its way to end all PFAS production by 2025.

The company said that the settlement did not come down to a recognition of debt. In the second quarter it costs a preset costs of $ 285 million.

The EPA was expected to indicate this week whether it intends to adhere to strictly PFAS Drinking water standards established by the Biden Administration Last year, for which water tools would be needed to remove six different types of PFAs from their water supply.

Chemical companies and utilities have sued the agency on the way. The Trump government should say on Monday whether it would continue to defend the standards in court. Instead, it asked for an extension of 21 days to decide on the planned way of acting.