DuPont's Toxic Legacy: $350M Cleanup for Pompton Lakes

A federal court settlement approved on August 7, 2026, ensures the completion of cleanup for cancer-causing solvents left by DuPont in Pompton Lakes. For over three decades, a plume of these chemicals has remained beneath hundreds of homes.

The settlement makes up to $350 million available for the cleanup at Pompton Lakes, with responsible DuPont-related companies also agreeing to pay $75 million for damage to groundwater and other natural resources. State officials value this agreement, along with a separate one with 3M, at approximately $2.5 billion, resolving years of litigation over PFAS and other pollution from four DuPont industrial sites.

This $350 million serves as a financial guarantee for the cleanup, not a direct payment to Pompton Lakes. The cleanup obligation itself is uncapped; companies must finish the work even if costs exceed the allocated funds. An additional $475 million reserve exists for Pompton Lakes Works and three other industrial sites if Chemours fails to meet its obligations.

Up to $795 million from these settlements will target PFAS contamination statewide, funding drinking water system upgrades, private well treatment, and investigations at various facilities. These chemicals, known for resisting breakdown, have been linked to health issues including certain cancers and developmental disorders.