COLUMBUS, Ohio — DuPont and Chemours announced Monday they’ve agreed to settle approximately 3,500 claims involving the toxic Teflon chemical C-8 once made at DuPont’s Washington Works plant near Parkersburg for $670.70 million.
Both companies will pay $335.35 million under the global settlement.
A news release from Chemours Monday said the agreement “resolves all indemnification obligations between Chemours and DuPont for all of the approximately 3,500 claims in the Ohio multi-district litigation” adding the settlement “is not in any way an admission of liability or fault by DuPont or Chemours.”
Both companies have also agreed to pay up to $25 million a year for any future cases not covered by the global settlement. DuPont spun off into Chemours in 2015.
Various litigation has shown DuPont knew as early as 1961 that C-8 was toxic and causing birth defects. The lawsuits settled Monday were mostly based in Ohio Federal Court and filed by residents who say C-8 has made them sick or caused the deaths of family members. DuPont and Chemours lost a trial that took place in Columbus, Ohio last July. A jury found the companies liable in a testicular cancer case and awarded $5.1 million in compensatory damages. Last month, the jury awarded the man another $10.5 million in punitive damages.
The federal EPA fined DuPont $16.5 million in 2005 for failing to report birth-defect findings.