3M, Other Companies Tennessee River Contamination $5M Class Action Settlement

3M and other companies have agreed to pay $5 million as part of a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve allegations they contributed to the contamination of the Tennessee River with per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS.

The 3M Tennessee River contamination settlement benefits residents and property owners in Morgan County, Lawrence County, Franklin County, Limestone County, Colbert County, or Lauderdale County, all in Alabama, between April 21, 2003, and Dec. 17, 2021. 

The deal also includes a Subclass of Class Members whose properties contained biosolids contaminated with PFAS compounds; this group is referred to as the “Sludge Subclass.”

The Tennessee River runs through Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, where it eventually joins with the Ohio River. Although the river has supported fishing and recreation for decades, the water source may be contaminated. In 2020, the Tennessee riverkeeper found that the river was contaminated with dangerous chemicals, according to WAFF48.

These findings quickly resulted in legal action. In a class action lawsuit, Alabama residents claimed that 3M and other companies knowingly polluted the Tennessee River and surrounding environment with PFAS chemicals. 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are manufactured polymers commonly used in coated products. The most notable example of PFAS products is Teflon pans. 

PFAS provide a coating that resists heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. But as useful as these chemicals are, PFAS also carry significant health risks.

PFAS chemicals do not break down in the environment or in the human body, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Once trapped in human bodies, PFAS can cause issues with reproduction, thyroid function, immune health, liver function, and more. The chemicals may even cause cancer.

The Tennessee riverkeeper’s findings report PFAS levels as high as 51,000 parts per trillion — well over the EPA’s safe limit of 70 parts per million.

Plaintiffs in the 3M class action lawsuit argue PFAS chemicals manufactured by 3M made their way into the Tennessee River through negligence on the part of numerous defendants. Once the river was contaminated, surrounding fish, soil, groundwater, and properties were allegedly contaminated — putting residents at risk for health issues.

3M, Daikin, Dyneon, Synagro, and other companies haven’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve the claims against them in a class action settlement of $5 million.

Under the terms of the 3M Tennessee River PFAS contamination lawsuit settlement, members of the Sludge Subclass can collect cash payments from the $5 million settlement fund. There are no payment estimates available since payments will vary widely depending on the number of valid claims filed and total acreage claimed by Subclass Members. Claimants with larger properties will receive larger shares of the settlement fund. The more claims filed, the lower payments will be.

In addition to providing monetary compensation, the settlement provides injunctive relief in the form of PFAS remediation. The settling defendants agreed to investigate, remediate, and monitor contamination of soils, basins, ponds, groundwater, and fish.

The deadline for exclusion or objection is March 17, 2022. 

The final approval hearing in the 3M Tennessee River PFAS contamination lawsuit settlement is scheduled for April 21, 2022.

In order to benefit from the settlement, Class Members must submit a valid claim form by May 5, 2022.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits residents and property owners in Morgan County, Lawrence County, Franklin County, Limestone County, Colbert County, or Lauderdale County, all in Alabama, between April 21, 2003, and Dec. 17, 2021.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

05/05/2022

Case Name

James St. John, Jr., et al. v. 3M Co., et al., No. CV-02-000408 in the Circuit Court of Morgan County Alabama

Final Hearing

04/21/2022

Settlement Website

StJohnSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

St. John v. 3M Company Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 43502
Providence, RI 02940-3502
info@StJohnSettlement.com
888-890-6718

Class Counsel

D. Leon Ashford
HARE WYNN NEWELL & NEWTON LLP

Defense Counsel

3M’s Counsel
M. Christian King
LIGHTFOOT FRANKLIN & WHITE LLC

DAI’s Counsel
Christopher L. Yeilding
BALCH & BINGHAM LLP

Toray’s Counsel
E. Britton Monroe
LLOYD GRAY WHITEHEAD & MONROE

Morgan County and City of Decatur’s Counsel
Barnes F. Lovelace Jr.
HARRIS CADDELL & SHANKS PC

Synargo’s Counsel
J. Alan Truitt
KAZMAREK MOWREY CLOUD LASETER LLP

BFI’s Counsel
William G. Beck
LATHROP GPM LLP

John W. Scott
SCOTT DUKES & GEISLER PC