Jun 26, 2026
The Trump administration has reached a multi-state settlement with chemical giant Chemours Co. over the illegal discharge of synthetic “forever chemicals.” The move marks the first time the federal government has reached a settlement with a manufacturer of dangerous chemicals known as PFAS.
According to the Justice Department, the agreement requires Chemours to pay an estimated $450 million in penalties and to relief programs, including $22.5 million in civil penalties and $90 million over 15 years to reduce contamination in West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey.
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PFAS, known as forever chemicals because they break down slowly in the environment, are a group of chemicals used to make products resistant to water, grease and stains. They have been linked to a range of health issues, including cancer, liver damage and birth defects.
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The chemicals are widely used around the world, including in the U.S. where an estimated 98% of people have traces of them in their blood.
The settlement found that Chemour facilities in the three states discharged PFAS into the Ohio River, Cape Fear River and Delaware River, violating federal and state laws. The discharge went on for more than a decade and exposed people living near the facilities to PFAS.
Under the settlement, Chemour will spend $60 million installing pollution-control systems at its West Virginia facility, $280 million to provide clean drinking water protection near its locations in West Virginia and New Jersey, and reduce releases of PFAS in North Carolina, pending independent assessment.
The agreement however, allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for commercial and military applications but prevents further contamination.
Chemour did not respond to Moneywise’s request for comment.
North Carolina bashes the settlement
The landmark settlement is being praised by the Trump administration as a sign of its promise to tackle PFAS pollution.
“This first comprehensive federal settlement against a major PFAS manufacturer delivers on the Trump Administration’s promise to make polluters pay and stop PFAS contamination at the source,” said Jeffrey A. Hall, assistant administrator at the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
Governor Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, called the settlement an encouraging first step. North Carolina, however, bashed the settlement, calling it a “backroom deal” that provided virtually nothing to the state.
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“This deal is an insult to the people of eastern North Carolina,” the state’s attorney general, Jeff Jackson, said in a statement. “This deal does practically nothing to clean up our water. Chemours made this mess and Chemours should clean it up. The E.P.A. will be hearing from my office.”
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency said in a joint response to North Carolina that all states will benefit from the settlement.
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The future of PFAS’
The settlement is the latest in a growing wave of legal actions targeting PFAS manufacturers. Last year, Chemours, DuPont and Corteva agreed to pay New Jersey $875 million to settle environmental claims related to PFAS contamination. In 2025, a federal judge ordered Chemours to halt unlawful PFAS discharges into the Ohio River.
Chemical companies have also faced substantial liability from individuals who say they were harmed by exposure to the chemicals. In 2017, DuPont paid $617 million to 3,550 plaintiffs who suffered from diseases linked to PFOA, a type of “forever chemical.” This settlement was a landmark — the first major PFAS personal injury resolution.
The move comes as the Trump administration is expected to propose weakening Biden-era limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water. Former President Joe Biden was the first to place limits on the chemicals in drinking water. President Donald Trump’s proposal will roll back parts of those regulations.
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Rinna Diamantakos is an assigning editor at Moneywise.com. A versatile journalist, she has experience as a writer, editor and producer. Her work has focused on politics, business and financial news.
