After an eight-year wait to finally see his case reach trial, North Carolina resident Mike Watters drove to Raleigh, running on two hours of sleep, to watch opening arguments in a major PFAS lawsuit over releases of GenX and other chemicals from the Fayetteville Works plant near Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Instead, he learned before the trial began that the case had been settled out of court.
What happened?
The lawsuit includes 2,658 plaintiffs, among them Watters, who accused Chemours and DuPont of releasing GenX and other PFAS from the Fayetteville Works plant near Fayetteville, North Carolina, according to Inside Climate News. The alleged contamination spread through the Cape Fear River and into nearby air, soil, groundwater, and private wells.
Calling the result "an extremely positive and successful outcome on behalf of our clients," Baron & Budd attorneys Brett Land and Cary McDougal said they had made "significant progress in resolving our clients' claims." Those claims, Inside Climate News reported, included allegations that the pollution lowered property values, limited residents' use and enjoyment of their land, and caused emotional distress over possible health effects.
Chemours declined to comment, and the settlement terms have not been disclosed. Watters said, "I wanted to see it go to trial. I would have liked to have seen how a jury would have handled it."
Why does it matter?
GenX is part of a much larger group of about 15,000 PFAS chemicals, and these substances are used in products such as nonstick coatings and stain- and water-resistant materials. PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they take hundreds of years to break down.
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Research has linked PFAS exposure to thyroid disorders, reproductive problems, low birth weight, weakened immune systems, and cancers affecting the kidneys and testicles.
Court records cited in the reporting describe allegations that DuPont failed to fully disclose environmental releases and worker exposure tied to GenX, while state regulators later found that chemicals from the plant's air pollution had contaminated thousands of drinking water wells.
What's being done?
Chemours' December 2025 SEC filings listed $361 million in liabilities tied to PFAS litigation. Three North Carolina public water utilities also have lawsuits pending against Chemours and DuPont, with another case set for state court next month.
In a separate $450 million settlement, the EPA is seeking to resolve alleged PFAS violations in North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Jersey. Critics have called the deal full of loopholes and inadequate for communities in eastern North Carolina.
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North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson sharply criticized the proposal, saying it is "an insult to the people of eastern North Carolina" and "does practically nothing to clean up our water." Public comments on that proposed federal settlement remain open until July 29.
"I know the chemicals affected more than just my property," Watters said. "I know what's in my body, and the bodies of my wife, dog and son."
"The communities that have been impacted by this company's toxic pollution should be infuriated that Chemours is getting away with this," said Jean Zhuang, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.
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