Chemours agrees to $450 million settlement with US Justice Department over chemical release

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice said on Wednesday that The Chemours Company agreed to a $450 million settlement over the release of “forever chemicals” in West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey.

The multi-state settlement includes a $22.5 million civil penalty and $90 million in funding to control per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, and remove them from drinking water, according to the DOJ statement.

“This is the first comprehensive settlement by the federal government to resolve enforcement claims over pollution by a manufacturer of forever chemicals,” the statement said.

The U.S. government’s complaint alleges that three Chemours facilities in West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey discharged PFAS into three different rivers.

Chemours said the settlement resolves federal claims related to PFAS discharges and other alleged non-compliance actions, primarily at its Washington Works, Fayetteville Works and Chambers Works facilities.

The settlement recognizes that Chemours has begun planning and implementing operational improvements and remedial measures at its facilities, and contains further actions the company will take to mitigate future emissions and enhance existing programs, the company said in a statement.

Chemours shares rose 5.4% in morning trade.

Researchers have linked PFAS, known as forever chemicals because they break down slowly in the environment, to a range of health concerns.

In connection with the settlement, Chemours said it has also settled with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition for less than $1 million to resolve the coalition’s litigation alleging breaches of certain discharge limits at Chemours’ Washington Works facility.

(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Rod Nickel)