3M will pay up to $7.35 billion to settle lawsuits from as many as 120,000 people who say groundwater tainted by its “forever chemicals” made them sick, as Rebecca Boone reports for the Associated Press. The St. Paul, Minnesota-based manufacturer announced the deal on November 6, 2026, and will pay out over nine years — without admitting liability.
The compounds at issue, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), were used in firefighting foam that 3M phased out more than 20 years ago, as well as in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as cookware and clothing. The foam contaminated groundwater near military bases, airports and other sites where it was used to put out fires.
PFAS earned their nickname because they don’t break down naturally in the environment. They’ve been linked to liver and immune system damage and some cancers.
3M chairman William Brown called the settlement a “significant milestone” that substantially reduces uncertainty from the litigation. Fred Thompson, an attorney with the Motley Rice law firm that helped negotiate the deal for the plaintiffs, called it welcome news for “the thousands of victims who have sought answers and accountability for nearly a decade.”
Payments start with $50 million this year, followed by more than $1 billion annually from 2028 to 2033. 3M could pay more if enough plaintiffs participate — or, if too few sign on, cancel the deal and keep fighting in court.
It’s hardly 3M’s first PFAS payout. The company previously agreed to pay more than $10 billion to U.S. public drinking water systems and $450 million to New Jersey over natural resource contamination. DuPont de Nemours and its spinoffs Chemours and Corteva have agreed to settlements totaling more than $1 billion.
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The EPA has set strict limits on PFAS in public drinking water, but those rules don’t cover private wells. Meanwhile, a study that would help regulators identify which industries discharge “forever chemicals” in their wastewater has been stalled for two years, awaiting White House review.
