DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — 3M will pay $98.4 million to settle lawsuits over contamination from its chemical plant along the Tennessee River in north Alabama under an agreement announced Tuesday.
The agreement, reached through court-ordered mediation with local government agencies, 3M and other companies, would fund both past and future cleanup work and pay for efforts to find additional pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl, or PFAS chemicals in the area. The largest share of the money, $35 million, will go to replace a recreational complex built atop a contaminated landfill.
The city of Decatur, Morgan County and Decatur Utilities still must approve the settlement. A public meeting was scheduled for next week on the agreement.
3M said it also was resolving a suit involving Tennessee Riverkeeper, an environmental organization, and other litigation involving pollution from PFAS, a substance which has been used in products worldwide since the 1950s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Decatur plant was a major manufacturer of the chemicals for decades.
The chemicals are used in non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, water repellant clothing, cosmetics and firefighting foams. They may cause problems including increased risk of cancer, decreased vaccine response in children, increased cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure and lower birth weights in children, according to the CDC.
Source:
https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-alabama-lawsuits-environment-a4dda1162d018987d691064b02873557