DuPont Settles C8 Lawsuits

Chemical giant DuPont and one of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay 670 million dollars to settle hundreds of  lawsuits filed by Ohio and West Virginia residents over discharges of C8 into the Ohio River. The chemical used to make teflon has been linked by scientists to six health problems, including cancer. The settlement could impact complaints over the use of the chemical around the world. Prosecutors in the Netherlands have begun a criminal investigation into possible C8 contamination from a DuPont plant there. Under terms of this setttlement, 1.6 million dollars  will be paid to each of 270 plaintiffs with cancer. DuPont lost previous three lawsuit trials. C8 was discharged from DuPont's Washington Works plant starting in the 1950s.