Chemical manufacturer 3M Co. has agreed to pay a whopping $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of public drinking water systems with harmful compounds known as PFAS. (cbsnews.com) These compounds are used in a variety of products, including firefighting foam, clothing, and cookware. The problem with PFAS is that they don’t degrade naturally in the environment and have been linked to a host of health problems, including liver and immune-system damage, and even cancer. (cbsnews.com)
Dubbed as “forever chemicals,” PFAS have been detected in varying levels in drinking water across the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed strict limits on two common types of PFAS and wants to regulate four others. Water providers would be responsible for monitoring their systems for these chemicals. (cbsnews.com)
The 3M settlement will compensate water providers for pollution with PFAS. The payment will cover the cost of filtering PFAS from contaminated public water systems, where it’s been detected, and testing others. (cbsnews.com) (thehill.com) (thehill.com) The settlement amount will be paid over the next 13 years and could reach up to $12.5 billion, depending on how many public water systems detect PFAS during EPA-required testing over the next three years.
This settlement comes as a sigh of relief as PFAS have been detected in the blood of 97% of Americans and have been a matter of concern for decades. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that the cost of cleansing PFAS from U.S. water systems could go much higher than the settlement amount. (news.3m.com)
Most of the lawsuits stem from firefighter training exercises at airports, military bases, and other sites that used foams laced with high concentrations of PFAS. (c8sciencepanel.org) The 3M settlement is subject to court approval, and the company denies any admission of liability. (cbsnews.com) (sec.gov) If rejected in court, 3M is prepared to continue to defend itself.
The settlement is a significant step towards remediating the nation’s water and stopping something that was started 50 years ago with the introduction of these chemicals in firefighting foam and all other products. The settlement would help millions of Americans have healthier lives without PFAS in their drinking water.
It’s good news that 3M and other companies have decided to phase out PFAS and invest in state-of-the-art water filtration technology. However, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and hold companies accountable to ensure that such contamination never happens again. (thehill.com)
Let’s hope that the settlement serves as a wake-up call to corporations to prioritize public health and safety over profit margins. (thehill.com) After all, drinking clean water should be a basic human right and not a luxury.