3M Co. is committing $7.35 billion over nine years to resolve litigation tied to its use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in a settlement aimed at addressing nearly all of the personal injury claims against the company.

The agreement covers roughly 115,000 to 120,000 claims being litigated inside and outside federal court in South Carolina. The chemical maker said it will pay $50 million in 2026, make no payments in 2027 and direct about 20% of the total toward the final two years of the settlement.

The payment timetable, 3M said, is designed to “align to 3M’s remaining payment obligations for other legacy settlements.”

The deal marks another major step in a costly, yearslong campaign by the maker of Post-it notes to contain legal fallout from its history of producing PFAS — chemicals that have become a flashpoint in lawsuits over alleged health and environmental harm.

3M $7.35 Billion PFAS Settlement Addresses Widespread Health Claims

PFAS are a group of thousands of chemicals used in products ranging from stain-resistant textiles to firefighting foams deployed at military bases and airports.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that PFAS are linked to increased cancer risks. The chemicals do not naturally break down and can persist in drinking water and soil, creating contamination concerns that can linger long after their original use.

Plaintiffs have blamed PFAS exposure for a range of health problems, including kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis. Individual payouts under the settlement will vary based on multiple factors.

The settlement pushes forward 3M’s effort to put a costly chapter behind it, though the company continues to face other PFAS-related litigation.

The settlement also influenced investor sentiment. 3M shares climbed 1.7% in late trading in New York. Through Tuesday’s close, the stock had gained 11% this year, roughly matching the S&P 500 index.

Chief Executive Officer William Brown said the agreement “substantially reduces litigation uncertainty.”

Earlier PFAS Agreements Have Already Cost 3M Billions

3M has paid heavily to address claims stemming from its PFAS manufacturing, which the company fully exited at the end of 2025.

In 2023, the company agreed to pay as much as $12.5 billion over 13 years to U.S. public water suppliers that had detected PFAS in their water systems.

Last year, 3M also reached an agreement to resolve PFAS-related claims in New Jersey. The company recorded a pretax charge of about $285 million and said payments tied to claims in the state would be made over 25 years.

Before the personal injury settlement, Bloomberg Intelligence estimated that 3M’s overall legal exposure could reach as much as $20 billion. The company still faces claims related to contaminated water sources, which BI estimates could cost up to $15 billion to resolve.