DuPont/Chemours to jointly pay for PFOA lawsuits

US chemical firm DuPont has agreed to a settlement involving about 3,550 lawsuits related to PFOA personal injury claims arising from environmental releases of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts), used in the production of Teflon, from its Washington Works plant in West Virginia. Chemours, which was spun-off from DuPont in 2015 is involved in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, says it is in agreement with DuPont to address the costs of the global settlement of the multi-district PFOA litigation between DuPont and the plaintiffs.

The total settlement amount is US$670.7 million in cash, half of which will be paid by Chemours and half paid by DuPont. Both companies have denied any wrongdoing, “The settlement is not in any way an admission of liability or fault by DuPont or Chemours,” according to a press statement.

DuPont discontinued PFOA operations at that plant more than a decade ago. PFOA, also known as C8, has been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid problems, pregnancy-induced hypertension and other illnesses.

To address potential PFOA liabilities that might arise in the future, both companies have also agreed to pay up to US$25 million a year for any future cases not covered by the global settlement. Chemours was spun off from DuPont in 2015.

According to litigation papers filed, DuPont has known as early as the 1960s that PFOA was toxic. The recent lawsuits settled were mainly based in the Ohio Federal Court and filed by residents who say the chemical made them sick or caused deaths in family members.