Chemours to Pay $450 Million to Settle 'Forever Chemicals' Allegations

By Katherine Hamilton

Chemours agreed to pay $450 million to settle allegations it used "forever chemicals" in its products.

The chemicals manufacturer will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and invest in pollution control, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

The settlement covers four Chemours facilities in West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey where the company allegedly used or produced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The product is used to make items water resistant.

Chemours was allegedly violating pollution and clean water laws by discharging PFAS into water sources in the three states. The alleged violations occurred for more than a decade.

This marks the federal government's first comprehensive settlement to resolve enforcement claims over pollution by a manufacturer of forever chemicals, the DOJ said.

Along with the penalty, Chemours will conduct a multi-year $90 million program to mitigate PFAS charges.

In West Virginia, it will spend roughly $60 million to install pollution controls for water discharges and air emissions at its West Virginia facility.

It also plans to spend about $280 million to supply clean drinking water to people in West Virginia and New Jersey, and evaluate ways to reduce PFAS at its North Carolina site.

Chemours will be allowed to continue making PFAS for commercial and military products while preventing future contamination, the department said.

Write to Katherine Hamilton at katherine.hamilton@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 24, 2026 11:18 ET (15:18 GMT)