US chemicals company 3M is to make payments to businesses around the Westerschelde estuary affected by PFAS pollution, the infrastructure ministry has told parliament.

The ministry did not disclose how much money will be paid out or which companies will receive payments. It said the payments are being made as a gesture of “goodwill”, rather than formal compensation. Further measures are still being worked on, the ministry briefing said.

PFAS pollution linked to 3M came to light in 2021, when it emerged that the company’s chemical plant in Zwijndrecht, Belgium had discharged waste into the Scheldt river for years with concentrations of PFAS above permitted levels.

In 2023, the ministry formally held 3M liable for PFAS pollution in the estuary. In 2022 the Flemish government reached a deal with 3M which agreed to pay €571 million, largely to clear up the polluted land around the town.

PFAS is a collective term for thousands of man-made chemical substances that do not occur naturally in the environment.

Known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, they are harmful to human health and the environment and are used in products such as firefighting foam, water-repellent clothing and non-stick pans.

The chemicals can accumulate in the body, weaken the immune system and, in some cases, are carcinogenic after long-term exposure.

Fishermen are among those suffering financial losses, as polluted waters have affected the growth of fish and shellfish and made them unsafe to eat.

The Nederlandse Vissersbond has called on 3M to compensate shrimp fishermen who have been barred from fishing in the Westerschelde for years, broadcaster Omroep Zeeland reported.