Tyco agrees to $10 million settlement with Wisconsin over PFAS water
contamination
[June 05, 2026] By
SCOTT BAUER
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The manufacturer of a firefighting foam that
contaminated the water supply in northeastern Wisconsin with PFAS
chemicals for decades agreed to a $10 million settlement with the state,
the governor and attorney general announced on Thursday.
The settlement comes as residents, communities, regulators and
environmental activists across the country are struggling with how to
address contamination from PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers hailed the settlement with Tyco Fire Products
as a “historic and important milestone” in the fight for clean water.
The lawsuit filed in 2022 alleged that Tyco, a subsidiary of Johnson
Controls, had contaminated the area around a firefighting training
center since the 1960s and did not do enough to address it.
"Today’s a key step toward making sure polluters are held accountable,
take responsibility for their actions, and ensure Wisconsinites don’t
have to foot the bill for cleaning up the messes that others made,”
Evers said in a statement announcing the deal.
But residents of the affected city of Marinette were hoping for more.
“The word of the day is underwhelming from our perspective,” said Doug
Oitzinger, a former mayor of Marinette and current president of the
advocacy group Save Our Water. “The dollar amount disappointed us. Ten
million is kind of a drop in the bucket.”
Tyco ended outdoor training sessions with the foam containing PFAS
chemicals in 2017. Also that year, the company first started providing
bottled water and water purification systems to affected residents. The
company says it has spent more than $100 million addressing the
contamination.
Tyco said in a statement Thursday that it was pleased to have reached
the deal, saying it “reflects the extensive work Tyco has undertaken” to
address PFAS pollution.
“We’ve been part of the Marinette community for over 100 years and the
spirit of doing what is best for our neighbors and the environment will
continue to be our priority,” the company said.
PFAS are often referred to as forever chemicals because they resist
breaking down, whether in well water or the environment. In the human
body, they accumulate in the liver, kidneys and blood. Research has
linked them to an increased risk of certain cancers and developmental
delays in children.
[to top of second column] |
 The chemicals were developed as
coatings to protect consumer goods from stains, water and corrosion.
Nonstick cookware, carpets, outdoor gear and food packaging are
among items that contain the chemicals. They also are an ingredient
in firefighting foams.
Government estimates suggest that up to half of all
U.S. households have some level of PFAS in their water — whether it
comes from a private well or a tap. It is a widespread problem in
Wisconsin and spawned numerous lawsuits.
Under the terms of the settlement announced Thursday, Wisconsin will
put the $10 million from Tyco into a trust fund earmarked for PFAS
cleanup. Tyco also agreed to continue to provide for replacement
wells to provide clean drinking water to affected residents, conduct
required monitoring and reporting, and implement further measures
for the long-term remediation of the area.
The lawsuit, filed by Democratic Wisconsin Attorney General Josh
Kaul, alleged that the company violated state law when it failed to
notify regulators about a PFAS discharge and did not investigate or
remediate the contamination around the Fire Technology Center in
Marinette, a city of about 11,000 people that borders Michigan's
Upper Peninsula.
Tyco officials said at the time the lawsuit was filed that the
company has invested “considerable resources” on investigating and
remediating PFAS pollution from the Marinette firefighting training
facility, including offering bottled water and in-home filtration
systems to affected residents as well as building a groundwater
pollution extraction system.
A second lawsuit filed by the state against Tyco and more than a
dozen other companies over PFAS contamination in Wisconsin remains
active.
The settlement announced Thursday will take effect if it's approved
by the judge overseeing the case.
Oitzinger, the former Marinette mayor, said Tyco was getting off too
easy.
“Legally you may have gotten off of some hooks, but morally you’re
not there," he said. "You’re not there by a long shot.”
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
