NJ gets record $2B settlement to clean up company’s ‘forever chemical’ contamination

✅ The PFAS settlement between New Jersey and DuPont is the largest in history

✅ The agreement also ends a court case over the Chambers Works site

✅ PFAS is known as "the forever chemical" because of the years-long effect

New Jersey has reached a record-setting settlement with the DuPont chemical company over contamination across the state.

The $2 billion settlement will go towards remedying PFAS contamination at sites Pompton Lakes and Wanaque, the Parlin site in Sayreville, the Repauno site, in Greenwich Township and Pennsville and Carney’s Point.

The state will use $875 million to clean up natural resources and other damage to land, water, and sensitive natural resources caused by PFAS. It will also fund abatement projects, including drinking water treatment.

New Jersey lawsuit against DuPont went to trial

The agreement ends the Chambers Works case, a 2019 lawsuit against DuPont that had already gone to trial in July. The agreement will also resolve three other lawsuits regarding specific sites in New Jersey, Attorney General Matt Platkin said.

"This settlement comes after a month of trial in federal court against these corporate defendants, and rather than face a court judgement, they've agreed to resolve the lawsuit that we filed for over decades of contamination from PFAS, otherwise known as 'forever chemicals,' as well as other pollutants originating from four sites across the state," Platkin said in a written statement.

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What are 'forever chemicals' contaminating New Jersey?

PFAS are synthetic chemicals that have been manufactured in the United States since the 1940s. They are used to make household, consumer, and industrial products. They are known as "forever chemicals" because of the long time needed for them to break down.

PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations not only in New Jersey but around the world.

“This landmark settlement will advance New Jersey’s nation-leading PFAS abatement efforts, improve drinking water quality, and restore injured natural resources," DEP Commissioner Sean LaTourette said in a written statement.

"This resolution embodies the steadfast commitment of the Department of Environmental Protection and our Attorney General to hold all PFAS polluters to account, and to protect public health, safety, and the environment from these harmful chemicalsPlatkin took a swipe at the Trump administration in his announcement of the settlement and accused it of "dismantling the EPA and gutting scientific research."

The state reached a $450 million agreement in May with 3M. As with the DuPont deal, the settlement also ends litigation with the state.

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