The takeaway: Specialty chemicals and industrial products maker 3M has agreed to pay up to $7.35 billion to settle lawsuits alleging the company was responsible for groundwater pollution caused by chemicals found in many of its products, including firefighting foam, adhesives and tape. The money will be paid out to around 120,000 people over a period of nine years.
Under the terms of the agreement, plaintiffs will receive $50 million this year, followed by annual payments of more than $1 billion from 2028 to 2033. 3M will have to pay additional money if more plaintiffs join the class action. However, if not enough people participate, the company reserves the right to cancel payments and take the case further in court.
The lawsuits alleged that people were made sick by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are known to be resistant to heat, stains, oil and water and are typically found in products such as firefighting foam, nonstick cookware, utensils and clothing. What makes them particularly dangerous is that they are not easily biodegradable and therefore remain in the environment for a long time.
Research has found that long-term PFAS exposure is linked to several critical and even life-threatening diseases, including cancer, liver disease, immune system damage and thyroid dysfunction. It is also known to negatively impact the health of unborn children, leading to low birth weight and other complications in babies and expectant mothers.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time 3M has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement in PFAS-related lawsuits. Last year, the company agreed to pay up to $450 million to settle multiple lawsuits over allegations that chemicals from its products permanently contaminated soil and water in New Jersey.
In 2023, the company reached more than $10 billion in settlements with several water utilities to resolve litigation over allegations that chemicals in its products permanently contaminated public water distribution systems, potentially endangering the health of millions of people.
3M announced in 2022 that it would stop producing PFAS in its factories by the end of 2025. In January 2026, the company announced that it had ceased PFAS manufacturing as planned, but said it would continue to use third-party PFAS in some electronic products such as circuit boards and lithium-ion batteries. The company added that it is spending billions of dollars to clean up past contamination.
3M isn’t the only company dealing with PFAS-related controversies. Specialty chemicals company DuPont, refrigerant and industrial resin maker Chemours, and agricultural pesticide and herbicide producer Corteva have faced similar allegations in the past. They have collectively spent more than $1 billion settling PFAS-related lawsuits.
