3M Faces More Costs After $581 Million Cleanup Pact in Belgium

3M Co. still faces the prospect of additional costs to resolve contamination liabilities in Belgium after reaching an agreement to clean up and remediate PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals used in many consumer goods, a government official said.

The St. Paul, Minnesota-based company’s agreement with the Flemish government to pay €571 million ($581 million) doesn’t release it from responsibility to address human health damage that arises from contamination, according to Zuhal Demir, the Flemish environment minister.

The pact is “open-ended” for 3M’s obligations for health and soil remediation, she said in a statement Wednesday. “This agreement ensures we can take ...