3M to pay US$7.35 billion to settle PFAS lawsuits in the US

Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.

American conglomerate 3M announced on Tuesday (Nov. 3) that it will pay US$7.35 billion (about R$40.3 billion) to settle lawsuits over health damage attributed to PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals," found in firefighting foams the company used to make, according to an AFP report published by Folha de S.Paulo.

PFAS have been linked to serious diseases, including cancer, and earned that nickname because they remain in the environment even after serving their purpose. According to 3M, the settlement covers "approximately 99%" of the cases consolidated in a proceeding in a South Carolina court, involving more than 100,000 plaintiffs.

Payments will be made over nine years, starting with US$50 million in 2026. There will be no payment the following year, and 20% of the total will be left for the last two years. The company's chairman and CEO, William Brown, said in a statement that the agreement substantially reduces the uncertainty tied to the lawsuits.

The company stressed that the settlement does not represent an admission of liability and that it is prepared to defend itself in court if certain conditions are not met. In 2024, another settlement approved in the US already provided for payments of up to US$12.5 billion to public water utilities to fund decontamination and monitoring.

3M says it stopped manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025, as it had pledged. The company still faces lawsuits in other countries: in May, Australia announced a US$1.43 billion suit over contamination of military bases, and in Belgium plaintiffs are seeking about US$35 million over pollution attributed to a company plant in Zwijndrecht.