Aug 7 (Reuters) – A federal judge on Friday approved more than $2.5 billion of settlements that New Jersey reached with DuPont, Chemours, Corteva and 3M to resolve claims over pollution attributed to PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
• Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb of the New Jersey federal court said the settlements reached last year were fair, reasonable and adequate, and served the public interest, calling the total value an “impressive windfall” given the risks of litigation.
• The Camden-based judge quoted an 1818 speech by James Madison, the fourth U.S. president, who said the “happiness of our country” required faithful guardianship of its “soil and climate.”
• DuPont, Chemours and Corteva will pay $875 million over 25 years for natural resources and other damages, clean up four former industrial sites and create a $1.2 billion remediation fund.
• 3M will pay $400 million to $450 million over the same period to settle claims over drinking water contamination.
• DuPont and Corteva will also create a $475 million reserve to ensure the four sites are cleaned up even if the companies go bankrupt or don’t perform their responsibilities. Chemours and Corteva were part of DuPont prior to spinoffs.
• The office of New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport had no immediate comment. DuPont, Chemours and Corteva did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a statement, 3M said it was pleased, and that it exited all PFAS manufacturing last year.
• Bumb overruled objections by Carneys Point Township and the Borough of Sayreville, which said New Jersey lacked power to resolve claims belonging to individual municipalities.
• PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are found in hundreds of consumer and commercial products, including cosmetics, non-stick pans and stain-resistant clothing.
• They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the human body or environment. PFAS have been linked to negative health effects, including higher cholesterol, low birth weight, reduced antibody response to vaccines, and kidney and testicular cancer.
• DuPont, Chemours, Corteva and 3M face other litigation over PFAS contamination, including a lawsuit last month by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
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