3M commits $7.35 billion to settle PFAS personal injury claims
3M just agreed to pay $7.35 billion over nine years.
The short version
- The maker of Post-it notes faces up to 120,000 personal injury claims.
- Payments start with $50 million in 2026 before ramping up later.
- The settlement aims to clear years of litigation over chemicals.
3M Co., the maker of Post-it notes, is committing $7.35 billion over nine years to settle litigation related to its use of chemicals known as PFAS. The massive payout addresses almost all of the 115,000 to 120,000 personal injury claims litigated both inside and outside a federal court in South Carolina.
William Brown, the chief executive officer of 3M, said in a statement that the agreement substantially reduces litigation uncertainty for the industrial giant. The company will make a $50 million payment in 2026, with no payments in 2027, according to the company.
Approximately 20 percent of the total payments are due in the final two years. This schedule aligns with 3M's remaining payment obligations for other legacy settlements. The US Environmental Protection Agency concluded that PFAS, which persist in drinking water and soil, connect to increased cancer risks.
Plaintiffs blamed the chemicals for health issues including kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis. 3M shares rose 1.7 percent in late trading in New York following the announcement. The company completely exited the manufacture of PFAS at the end of 2025 after facing a steep price for legal fallout.
In 2023, 3M agreed to pay as much as $12.5 billion over 13 years to US public water suppliers. Last year, 3M reached an agreement to resolve PFAS-related claims in New Jersey with a pre-tax charge of about $285 million.
