3M / Aearo Technologies Earplug PFAS Contamination Water Utility Lawsuit

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — sometimes called 'forever chemicals' — are a class of synthetic compounds used for decades in products ranging from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. 3M was one of the world's largest PFAS manufacturers for over 60 years. Plaintiffs in this litigation are public water utilities and municipalities that discovered PFAS contamination in their water sources — including groundwater, rivers, and reservoirs — as a result of 3M's widespread manufacturing and sale of PFAS-containing products. They allege 3M knew of the chemicals' environmental persistence and health risks (including links to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune dysfunction) but continued to manufacture and conceal those risks for decades.

3M reached a landmark $10.3 billion settlement in June 2023 with a class of U.S. public water systems to resolve claims of PFAS drinking water contamination — one of the largest environmental settlements in U.S. history. Despite the settlement, litigation continues for systems that opted out or whose claims fall outside the settlement's scope, as well as follow-on suits addressing specific contamination events. The EPA's establishment of strict enforceable PFAS Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in drinking water in 2024 has intensified pressure on remaining defendants and drawn new plaintiffs into the litigation ecosystem.