3M settles 'forever chemical' contamination lawsuits for $10.3 billion.

Chemical manufacturer 3M has agreed to pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and a host of consumer products. The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, known collectively as PFAS, which have been linked to a variety of health problems, including liver and immune-system damage and some cancers. The settlement will be paid over 13 years and could reach as high as $12.5 billion, depending on how many public water systems detect PFAS during testing that EPA has required in the next three years.