The Trump administration has reached a multi-state settlement with chemical giant Chemours Co. requiring the company to pay $450 million to resolve claims over illegal discharges of synthetic "forever chemicals." These chemicals, known as PFAS, are used to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains.
The settlement, filed in federal court in West Virginia, is the first by the federal government to address enforcement claims against a manufacturer of PFAS. Chemours will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey.
Additionally, Chemours has agreed to install PFAS pollution controls for surface water discharges and air emissions at its West Virginia facility, an estimated cost of $60 million. The company will also supply clean drinking water to communities near its West Virginia and New Jersey sites, at an estimated cost of $280 million, and implement controls to reduce releases from its North Carolina facility.
“This settlement brings Chemours into compliance with the law and holds it fully accountable,” said Jeffrey Hall, assistant EPA administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. He added that the agreement will significantly reduce PFAS contamination of water, land, and air and begin to mitigate past harm.
The settlement permits Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for commercial and military applications, while also preventing future contamination and protecting communities from existing pollution. Adam Gustafson, principal deputy assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, stated that the settlement protects public health while preserving the company's role.
The Justice Department said that Chemours facilities in the three states discharged PFAS into the Ohio River, Cape Fear River, and Delaware River, violating permits under the Clean Water Act and state laws. The company also violated the federal Toxic Substances Control Act at all three locations. These violations continued for over a decade, officials said.
People living near the facilities were exposed to illegal PFAS as a result of the alleged violations. Scientific studies indicate that exposure to certain PFAS may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
This federal settlement does not resolve DuPont's liability for past PFAS violations, as the facilities were previously owned by DuPont for many decades. In a separate development, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva agreed to pay New Jersey up to $2 billion last year to settle environmental claims stemming from PFAS.
Last year, a federal judge ordered Chemours to stop discharging unlawful levels of cancer-causing chemicals into the Ohio River from its Washington Works plant in West Virginia, citing dangers to the environment, aquatic life, and human health.