New Jersey reaches $393M settlement with materials company over ‘forever chemicals’ News
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New Jersey reaches $393M settlement with materials company over ‘forever chemicals’

The New Jersey Attorney General and Commissioner of Environmental Protection announced on Wednesday that they reached a settlement with Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, the US subsidiary of a Belgian company, over the release of so-called “forever chemicals.” In total, officials say Solvay agreed to financial commitments of $393 million.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” are often used in industrial production. They are highly resistant to degradation and can build up in the human body, causing negative health outcomes. Solvay’s New Jersey plants had previously released PFAS into the local environment, leading state regulators to issue demands for clean up. New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) also sued Solvay for releasing PFAS.

“This settlement is a historic step that requires Solvay to finally take meaningful responsibility for PFAS and other contamination at their site,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “Today we send a clear message to any corporation that exposes our New Jersey communities to PFAS toxins or injures our natural resources with any hazardous substance: you will face consequences for your actions.”

As a part of the settlement, Solvay agreed to pay for remediation efforts, increase their monitoring activities, and expand public education about PFAS, among other things. Officials launched a webpage to publicize the different aspects of the settlement, track Solvay’s compliance, and solicit public input.

Solvay touted the settlement in their own press release, emphasizing a commitment to environmental protection and efforts they’ve already taken to improve industrial facilities.”Solvay appreciates the collaborative approach taken by NJDEP to reach this agreement, allowing all parties to continue focusing on protecting the environment,” said Ilham Kadri, Solvay CEO. “Consistent with our focus to innovate more sustainable solutions, we transitioned our West Deptford, NJ facility to use non-fluorosurfactants technologies as of July 2021.”

The settlement comes as environmental and health officials escalate their efforts to limit the use of PFAS and mitigate harmful effects. Earlier this year, for example, the US Environmental Protection Agency proposed a regulation to limit the presence of PFAS in drinking water.

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