Read the full article by Associated Press (Fast Company)
“German chemical company BASF said on Tuesday it reached a $316.5 million settlement with some U.S. public water systems that claimed toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting foam made by the company contaminated their water supplies.
The money provided by the settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, will help cities, towns and other public water systems remediate contamination of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
PFAS are a class of chemicals used in thousands of consumer and commercial products, including firefighting foams, non-stick pans and stain-resistant fabrics. They have been tied to cancers and other diseases, and are often called forever chemicals because they do not easily break down in nature or the human body.
BASF said in a statement that the settlement does not constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing, and that it will seek to recover for the settlement through its numerous insurance policies.” …