Chemours (NYSE: CC) agrees $22.5M PFAS settlement and $90M projects
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
The Chemours Company entered into a proposed settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to resolve claims relating to PFAS emissions and other alleged activities at several facilities. Chemours agreed to pay a $22.5 million civil penalty in three annual installments, beginning within 30 days after court approval of a Consent Decree, and to fund $90 million of additional mitigation projects over 15 years to reduce PFAS emissions and support alternative drinking water solutions.
The company will expand off-site drinking water programs in West Virginia, Ohio and New Jersey, which it expects will increase existing environmental reserves. Chemours also resolved litigation brought by the West Virginia Rivers Coalition for less than $1 million. The settlement, which does not constitute an admission of liability or fault by Chemours, remains subject to public notice, comment and final court approval.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- Material PFAS-related cash obligations: Chemours agreed to a $22.5 million civil penalty, payable over three years, and to fund $90 million of mitigation projects over 15 years, adding meaningful regulatory and remediation-related cash outflows.
- Higher environmental reserves expected: The company expects that expanding off-site drinking water programs in West Virginia, Ohio and New Jersey will increase its existing environmental reserves, indicating additional balance sheet impact from PFAS-related actions.
Insights
Chemours accepts sizable PFAS-related payments to resolve key regulatory claims.
Chemours has agreed to a $22.5 million civil penalty and $90 million of mitigation spending over 15 years to settle PFAS-related claims at major sites. These obligations add identifiable cash costs but also consolidate several regulatory and environmental issues into a single framework.
The settlement covers federal and certain West Virginia claims and includes program and site actions such as expanding off-site drinking water projects, which the company expects will increase environmental reserves. While near-term cash flows face added burden, the arrangement is structured over time and remains contingent on Consent Decree approval by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
From an investment perspective, this is a material but bounded development: it quantifies parts of Chemours’ PFAS exposure while leaving broader PFAS and PFOA litigation, regulatory changes and remediation obligations as ongoing risks described in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 and Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
8-K Event Classification
Key Figures
Key Terms
Consent Decree regulatory
PFAS technical
environmental reserves financial
mitigation projects environmental
Clean Water Act regulatory
forward-looking statements regulatory
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On June 23, 2026, The Chemours Company (“Chemours”) agreed to a proposed Consent Decree with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (the “WVDEP”) to resolve claims asserted by the EPA and the WVDEP with respect to PFAS emissions and other alleged activities at certain Chemours facilities, including the Washington Works, Fayetteville Works and Chambers Works facilities (the “Settlement”).
Pursuant to the Settlement, Chemours has agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $22.5 million, payable in three consecutive annual installments, beginning within 30 days of the approval of the Consent Decree containing the Settlement by the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. In addition, over the next 15 years, Chemours will dedicate $90 million to the funding of additional mitigation projects to further reduce PFAS emissions from its facilities or projects to provide alternative drinking water relief. Chemours will also perform certain program and site-related actions specified in the Consent Decree, including the expansion of Chemours’ off-site drinking water projects in West Virginia, Ohio and New Jersey. The Company expects the expansion of the off-site drinking water programs will result in an increase to its existing environmental reserves.
In connection with the Settlement, Chemours has also resolved, for less than $1 million, litigation brought by the West Virginia Rivers Coalition in 2024 under the Clean Water Act with respect to discharges at Chemours’ Washington Works facility.
The terms of the Settlement remain subject to notice and comment in accordance with applicable federal regulations, as well as court approval. The Settlement is not in any way an admission of liability or fault by Chemours.
The foregoing descriptions of the Consent Decree and the Settlement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Consent Decree, which is filed hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On June 24, 2026, Chemours issued a press release announcing the matters described in this Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “project” and similar expressions, among others, generally identify “forward-looking statements,” which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the expected performance and impact of the cost-sharing arrangements by and between Chemours, Corteva, Inc. and DuPont de Nemours related to future eligible PFAS liabilities. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized, such as guidance relying on models based upon management assumptions regarding future events that are inherently uncertain. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties including the outcome of the final court approval process for the Consent Decree, including any appeals, the outcome of any pending or future litigation related to PFAS or PFOA, including personal injury claims and natural resource damages claims, the extent and cost of ongoing remediation obligations and potential future remediation obligations, including performance of injunctive actions and mitigation projects under the Consent Decree, changes in laws and regulations applicable to PFAS chemicals, the performance by each of the parties of their respective obligations under the cost-sharing arrangement, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, Chemours’ ability to maintain an effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, changes in environmental regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of Chemours’ products, changes in regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions that could impose tariffs or additional costs on products we either sell or need to purchase, anticipated future operating and financial performance for Chemours’ segments individually and Chemours as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, efforts to resolve outstanding or potential litigation, including claims related to legacy PFAS liabilities, plans for dividends, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, Chemours’ ability to develop and commercialize new products or technologies and obtain necessary regulatory approvals, Chemours’ ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into Chemours’ operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements also may involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours’ control. Matters outside Chemours’ control, including general economic conditions, geopolitical conditions, global conflicts, changes in laws and regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions in which we operate, and global health events and weather events, have affected
or may affect Chemours’ business and operations and may or may continue to hinder Chemours’ ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in Chemours’ supply chains such as through strikes, labor disruptions or other events, adversely affect Chemours’ business partners, significantly reduce the demand for Chemours’ products, adversely affect the health and welfare of Chemours’ personnel or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
10.1 |
Form of Consent Decree, dated June 23, 2026.* |
99.1 |
Press Release, dated June 24, 2026. |
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL). |
* Annexes, schedules and/or exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. Chemours agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted attachment to the Securities and Exchange Commission on a confidential basis upon request.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
THE CHEMOURS COMPANY |
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By: |
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/s/ Shane Hostetter |
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Shane Hostetter |
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Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer |
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June 24, 2026 |
Exhibit 99.1
Chemours Reaches Agreement with U.S. EPA to Resolve Claims Relating to PFAS
Wilmington, Del., June 24, 2026 – The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) (the “Company”) today announced a settlement to resolve claims asserted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) relating to PFAS discharges and other alleged non-compliance actions, primarily at the Company’s Washington Works, Fayetteville Works, and Chambers Works facilities. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (“WVDEP”) is also a party to the settlement and joins in these releases.
The settlement agreement is the latest progress delivered under the Strengthening the Long Term pillar of Chemours’ Pathway to Thrive strategy, which includes the Company’s sustained efforts to address legacy PFAS and other environmental claims. The settlement also recognizes the significant work already completed or underway across Chemours’ sites to reduce emissions and strengthen processes.
Under the settlement, Chemours has agreed to pay EPA and WVDEP a $22.5 million civil penalty, of which $15 million was previously accrued. This civil penalty is expected to be paid in three annual installments in 2026, 2027 and 2028, beginning within 30 days of the court's approval of the Consent Decree containing the settlement. In addition, over the next 15 years, Chemours will fund $90 million in additional mitigation projects to further reduce PFAS emissions from the operating sites or drinking water projects. Such projects support Chemours responsible manufacturing practices and will help advance the Company’s Corporate Responsibility Commitment goal to reduce process emissions of fluorinated organic chemicals by 99% or more by 2030.
Further, the Company has also agreed to perform certain program and site-related actions as part of the settlement. This includes an expansion of the Company’s existing off-site drinking water programs in West Virginia, Ohio, and New Jersey to incorporate learnings from Chemours’ other off-site programs. The Company expects the expansion of the off-site drinking water programs will result in an increase to its existing environmental reserves.
Aligned with the Company’s Pathway to Thrive strategy, Chemours continues to focus on responsibly resolving outstanding environmental and regulatory matters with terms that improve site operating certainty and include payment and remediation commitments that are structured over time. The terms of the settlement, including a further description of claims released and not released, are set forth in a proposed Consent Decree, which remains subject to final court approval.
In connection with the settlement, Chemours has also reached a resolution with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition for less than $1 million to resolve its litigation that was commenced in 2024 under the Clean Water Act alleging exceedances of certain permitted discharge limits at the Company’s Washington Works facility.
About The Chemours Company
The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in providing industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and advanced electronics, general industrial, and oil and gas. Through our three businesses – Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Titanium Technologies, and Advanced Performance Materials – we deliver application expertise and chemistry-based innovations that solve customers’ biggest challenges. Our flagship products are sold under prominent brands such as Opteon™, Freon™, Ti-Pure™, Nafion™, Teflon™, Viton™, and Krytox™. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC, Chemours has approximately 5,700 employees and 28 manufacturing sites and serves approximately 2,400 customers in approximately 110 countries. For more information, visit chemours.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “project” and similar expressions, among others, generally identify “forward-looking statements,” which speak only as of the date
such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among
other things, the expected performance and impact of the cost-sharing arrangements by and between Chemours, Corteva and DuPont related to future eligible PFAS liabilities. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized, such as guidance relying on models based upon management assumptions regarding future events that are inherently uncertain. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties including the outcome of the final court approval process for the Consent Decree, including any appeals, the outcome of any pending or future litigation related to PFAS or PFOA, including personal injury claims and natural resource damages claims, the extent and cost of ongoing remediation obligations and potential future remediation obligations, including performance of injunctive actions and mitigation projects under the Consent Decree, changes in laws and regulations applicable to PFAS chemicals, the performance by each of the parties of their respective obligations under the cost-sharing arrangement, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, Chemours’ ability to maintain an effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, changes in environmental regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of the Company’s products, changes in regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions that could impose tariffs or additional costs on products we either sell or need to purchase, anticipated future operating and financial performance for the Company’s segments individually and the Company as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, efforts to resolve outstanding or potential litigation, including claims related to legacy PFAS liabilities, plans for dividends, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, the Company’s ability to develop and commercialize new products or technologies and obtain necessary regulatory approvals, the Company’s ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into the Company’s operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements also may involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Chemours’ control. Matters outside our control, including general economic conditions, geopolitical conditions, global conflicts, changes in laws and regulations in the United States or other jurisdictions in which we operate, and global health events and weather events, have affected or may affect the Company’s business and operations and may or may continue to hinder the Company’s ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in the Company’s supply chains such as through strikes, labor disruptions or other events, adversely affect the Company’s business partners,
significantly reduce the demand for the Company’s products, adversely affect the health and welfare of the Company’s personnel or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that the Company is unable to identify at this time or that the Company does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
CONTACTS:
INVESTORS
Brandon Ontjes
Vice President, Head of Strategy & Investor Relations
+1.302.773.3309
investor@chemours.com
NEWS MEDIA
Cassie Olszewski
Media Relations & Reputation Leader
+1.302.219.7140
media@chemours.com