3M Agrees to $7.35 Billion Settlement Over 'Forever Chemical' Injury Claims
The nine-year agreement covers roughly 115,000 to 120,000 eligible claimants in personal-injury litigation tied to PFAS in firefighting foam. 3M did not admit liability.
3M has agreed to pay $7.35 billion over nine years to settle personal-injury claims tied to PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam, in a deal covering roughly 115,000 to 120,000 people eligible to participate.
The company announced the agreement after markets closed Tuesday. It said the resolution addresses about 99% of current personal-injury claims inside and outside the federal firefighting-foam litigation based in South Carolina. The agreement is not an admission of liability.
PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily in the environment. The lawsuits involve people who say exposure to the chemicals harmed their health, including through groundwater contamination near military bases, airports and other sites where firefighting foam was used.
A federal judge on Wednesday paused personal-injury proceedings against 3M so the company and claimants could focus on putting the settlement into effect. Participation requirements and other conditions still apply, and 3M said it could continue defending claims if agreed terms are not met.
The $7.35 billion commitment has a present value of $5.8 billion, which 3M plans to record as a pretax charge in the fourth quarter. The company said the agreement does not change its previously issued 2026 financial guidance.