Chemours, DuPont & Corteva to pay US$875 mn in US PFAs case

In what is said to be one of the largest state-level environmental settlements to date in US, chemical firms Chemours Co., DuPont de Nemours and Corteva reached a proposed agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to pay US$875 million over a 25-year period to resolve all legacy PFAS-related claims in the state.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic chemicals that have been manufactured in the US since the 1940s. They are used to make a variety of household, consumer, and industrial products and do not degrade or break down over time and continue to accumulate in the environment and in human bodies. They are classified as likely carcinogens, with studies having shown that exposure to the chemicals may cause kidney, liver, and testicular cancer, as well as autoimmune and endocrine disorders in adults. PFAS have also been linked to developmental issues affecting foetuses during pregnancy and infants who breastfeed.

The agreement settles state allegations that the three companies contaminated New Jersey’s environment and drinking water with PFAS. The payments — with a present value of roughly US$500 million before taxes — will begin no earlier than January 1, 2026, the companies said in a joint statement.

The companies have agreed to fully clean up contamination at four New Jersey sites and to pay US$875 million in natural resource and other damages to the state for the harm that was caused to land, water, and other sensitive natural resources, and to fund abatement projects, which will include drinking water treatment.

Under the terms:

The settlement includes US$16.5 million specifically allocated to PFAS contamination not linked to the companies’ operating sites, signalling a broader scope of environmental harm.

This is not the first time these firms have faced scrutiny over PFAS contamination. In 2023, the same trio settled similar claims with the state of Ohio for US$110 million, and also paid US$1.19 billion to settle a sweeping national lawsuit with US water providers.

Meanwhile, in May 2025, 3M agreed to pay up to US$450 million for PFAS contamination at the Chambers Works and Parlin sites and throughout the state.

In 2023, Solvay Specialty Polymers agreed to spend US$393 million to ensure the remediation of contamination and compensate the public for PFAS contamination near Solvay’s facility in West Deptford, Gloucester County. More recently, Arkema Inc. agreed to settle its responsibility for contamination at the same site, including paying US$33.95 million for remediation and damages combined and guaranteeing US$75 million for a reserve fund.

Experts say the New Jersey deal is likely just the beginning of more state-led action. With new federal regulations on PFAS in drinking water and a deeper understanding of the chemical’s long-term effects, more lawsuits and multibillion-dollar settlements are expected.

New Jersey, one of the first states to aggressively regulate PFAS, has repeatedly sued chemical manufacturers over alleged contamination.

The state is expected to recover more than US$3 billion from the lawsuits, which will compensate New Jersey and mitigate the damage caused by PFAS and other pollutants.

“This landmark settlement will advance New Jersey’s nation-leading PFAS abatement efforts, improve drinking water quality, and restore injured natural resources,” Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said in a statement. “This resolution embodies the steadfast commitment of the Department of Environmental Protection and our Attorney General to hold all PFAS polluters to account, and to protect public health, safety, and the environment from these harmful chemicals.”

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