Global manufacturing conglomerate 3M has bowed out of a historic environmental legal battle brought on by the state of New Jersey just days before the lawsuit's scheduled trial. This settlement is one of the largest wins a state has ever received to rectify damages to its land and natural resources, according to Inside Climate News.
Since March 2019, New Jersey has filed three lawsuits against 3M and simultaneous lawsuits against chemical giants DuPont and Chemours — the latter of which is a spinoff of the former.
Two of the three 3M lawsuits concerned the contamination of the state's natural resources near the Chambers Works sites, an active chemical plant that was previously operated by DuPont for gunpowder manufacturing and later by Chemours for dye and chemical production.
According to Manufacturing Dive, 3M was accused of supplying over 500,000 pounds of PFOA, a type of PFAS, to the Chambers Works site from the 1970s to 2002 for DuPont to use in its nonstick technology, Teflon. The manufacturing waste created during Teflon production was then allegedly discharged into the state's air, water, and soil surrounding the plant's site, contaminating natural resources with PFAS, which has large ramifications on public health and the environment.
PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they can take up to hundreds or even thousands of years to break down. They leach into the soil and water supplies, which then get ingested by wildlife and humans, accumulating in our bodies' organs. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to disruptions in the endocrine system and mutations in gene expression, as well as increased risk of certain cancers and metabolic conditions.
3M's historic settlement with the state of New Jersey, a total compensation of $450 million for restoring the state's natural resources, marks a triumph in environmental conservation. This case sets the tone for ongoing litigation with DuPont and Chemours, in addition to other states looking to hold corporations accountable for their environmental impact.
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"If you harm our residents, if you turn a profit at the expense of their interest and their health, if … you put the health and safety of our residents at risk — we're going to hold you accountable," said New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, per Inside Climate News.
"We are hardly done. We will continue to hold DuPont, Chemours, and their progeny companies accountable. Expect that they come to the table or sit before a judge and jury," warned New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, per Inside Climate News.
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