3M agreed to pay up to $12.5B in order to settle hundreds of lawsuits brought against the company. The lawsuits were brought by cities claiming the drinking water was contaminated by "forever chemicals." The national class-action settlement involves PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam. - 3M will be required to pay between $10.5B and $12.5B, and the settlement will cover public water systems across the U.S.
- If paid out, this would be the largest settlement for something deemed a "health risk," more than any from lawsuits against the tobacco or opioid industries.
- The current cases stem from PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam that seeped into the ground in communities.
- 3M has manufactured and used PFAS for years, despite the fact that they are "forever chemicals," meaning they won't break down in the environment.
- 3M said that the agreement wasn't an admission of liability and that the company would be prepared to defend itself in the litigation if the agreement wasn't approved.
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