The 3M manufacturer has agreed to pay the state of New Jersey up to $ 450 million for 25 years to resolve various demands that involve pollution called “forever chemicals” that damaged the state water supply locations and other natural resources.
The liquidation, which is pending public comments and judicial approval, absolutely 3M, a main American producer of substances by and Polifluoroalquil (PFAS), of responsibility related to pollution. The demands filed in 2019 that involved Chambers Works in Salem County, NJ, formerly owned by the chemical giant Dupont, and which was now owned by his spinoff Chemours, and which involved speak Sayreville, was resolved. The 3M had been a provider of chemicals containing PFAs in the places used in the manufacture of products until 2001.
The settlement also resolves the state’s claims against 3M in PFAS litigation in the fire fighting material known as a foam that forms a film and deals with a PFAS directive throughout the state published in 2019 by the NJ’s Department of Environmental Protection.
“This agreement is another important step towards the reduction of risk and uncertainty in these inherited problems, which allows 3M to focus on its strategic priorities,” 3M said in a statement. He added that the settlement is not an admission of responsibility and that it would be defended in litigation in the event that the liquidation was not approved.
3M said he goes to the court to know the plans announced above to voluntarily produce all the PFAs at the end of the year. “In the agreement, the state specifically acknowledged that 3M ‘have taken actions, which other companies have not taken, to stop manufacturing PFAS,” said 3M.
In establishing -3M will not go to court on May 19 in the case of Chambers in progress against Dupont, Chemours and defendants related to the United States District Court.
Settlement is one of the first states that 3M has participated in the responsibility of the PFAS in the country and is the largest settlement of PFAS throughout the state of the history of New Jersey, said the Attorney General of the State Matthew Platkin and the Commissioner for Environmental Protection of the State Shawn Latourette in a statement. Chambers Works trial would have been the first to a state for PFAS contamination against any defendant, they added.
“New Jersey has some of the highest levels of PFA in the country,” said Platkin. “That is why New Jersey has led the national position.”
The damage recovered from the liquidation will help to finance the “leading” PFAS reduction efforts of the State, improving the quality of drinking water throughout the state through the construction of new and expanded treatment facilities and restoring damaged natural resources, said Latourette.
In 2023, his agency came to a settlement with the Belgian chemist manufacturer Solvay related to PFAs and another pollution at his production site at West Deptford, NJ, with a remediation of ongoing pollutants. Solvay has guaranteed that it will keep financing for cleaning $ 393 million.
Allison Mcleod, Deputy Director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Conservation League, praised the state’s actions to make “pollutants responsible” for the impacts of the PFAS, said Allison Mcleod.
Last year in a class action agreement, 3M received the end of the final court to pay $ 10.3 billion to public water utilities throughout the country for 13 years for PFAS contamination in drinking water. In 2018, the company agreed to pay $ 850 million to set a lawsuit with minnesota on PFAs in drinking water and natural resources in the area of the twin cities.
EPA Rollbacks to Pfas Regs
In the meantime, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced on May 14 that it will terminate and reconsider regulations on four pfas compounds in drinking water: PFHXS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (commonly known as Genx), as well as the mixture of danger index of these three and PFBS.
The EPA says it will maintain the highest standards of pollutant drinking water established for PFOA and PFOS established in April 2024, but will extend the period of compliance until 2031 from 2029 to allow public water systems to be fulfilled as the water and wastewater trade groups defend.
Public and environmental health organizations, including the environmental working group, criticized the actions of the EPA. The agency is “leaning on the pressure of the industry and leaving millions exposed to PFA in its tap water,” said Melanie Benesh, vice -president of government affairs, in a statement.
