New Jersey Reaches $2 Billion ‘Forever Chemical’ Settlement With 3 Companies

DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva said the settlement will resolve all legacy contamination linked to their current and former operating sites in New Jersey.

The DuPont logo on a sign at the entrance to the company's Spruance Plant in Richmond, Va. Steve Helber/AP Photo

New Jersey has reached a $2 billion settlement with three companies in what is believed to be the largest environmental settlement ever secured by a single state, to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” state officials said on Aug. 4.

Under the agreement, the companies—DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva—will pay $875 million over 25 years for the restoration of damaged natural resources and to support abatement efforts, and will create a remediation fund of up to $1.2 billion.

The agreement also requires the companies to establish a $475 million reserve fund to ensure taxpayers are not left with the bill if any of them go bankrupt or are unable to meet their obligations, according to a statement issued by the state attorney general’s office.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and State Environmental Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said the companies have also agreed to fully clean up pollutant contamination at four sites where they operated, as part of the settlement.

“PFAS are particularly insidious. These dangerous chemicals build up and accumulate everywhere, and New Jersey has some of the highest levels of PFAS in the country,” Platkin stated.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in consumer and industrial products, which are known as forever chemicals due to their inability to degrade and tendency to accumulate in human bodies and the environment.

Forever chemicals have been linked to several health issues, including certain cancers, autoimmune and endocrine disorders, and developmental issues in fetuses and infants who breastfeed.

“Polluters who place profit above public well-being by releasing poisonous PFAS and other contamination in our State can expect to be held responsible to clean up their mess and fully compensate the State and its citizens for the precious natural resources they’ve damaged or destroyed,” LaTourette stated.

The companies confirmed in a statement that the settlement will resolve all legacy contamination linked to their current and former operating sites at Pompton Lakes Works, Parlin, Repauno, and Chambers Works, as well as statewide PFAS-related claims tied to the use of aqueous film-forming foam—a substance used to suppress flammable liquid fires.

Chemours, which DuPont spun off in 2015, will pay half of the settlement payments, DuPont will cover 35.5 percent, and Corteva will pay the remaining 14.5 percent, according to the statement.

The payments are scheduled to begin no earlier than Jan. 1, 2026, the companies said.

DuPont and Corteva also plan to buy Chemours’ rights to certain insurance proceeds related to PFAS claims for $150 million, although the transaction is subject to approval of the judicial consent order.

The deal comes just months after New Jersey reached a $450 million settlement with chemical manufacturer 3M to resolve claims accusing the company of contaminating water and other natural resources with PFAS substances.

As part of that settlement, 3M will pay the amount over 25 years, with around $275 million to $325 million scheduled to be paid between 2026 and 2034, and the remainder between 2035 and 2050.

Naveen Athrappully contributed to this report.