DuPont settles lawsuits over Teflon-making chemical leak

[February 13, 2017]    (Reuters) - DuPont said on Monday it agreed to pay $670.7 million in cash to settle several lawsuits related to a chemical leak from a plant in West Virginia.

The Dupont logo is displayed on a board above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly after the opening bell in New York, U.S. on December 22, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

The company said it settled about 3,550 personal injury claims arising from the leak of perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA or C-8, from DuPont's Parkersburg, West Virginia, plant.

The leak allegedly contaminated local water supplies and has been linked to six diseases, including testicular and kidney cancers.

DuPont has used C-8 at the West Virginia plant since the early 1950s. The chemical is used to make Teflon.

Titanium dioxide maker Chemours Co,which was spun off from DuPont, said it will pay half of the settlement. Both companies denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Martina D'Couto)

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