US-Based 3M Vows to Phase Out Environmentally Hazardous Forever Chemicals

A US-based multinational corporation, 3M, has pledged to phase out the production of the forever chemicals – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – by 2025. The development comes after lawsuits over the damage caused by PFAS increased lately, with 3M being among the corporations sued by California’s Attorney General (AG) for recovery of clean-up expenditures last month. Pressure against such PFAS-producing companies has also intensified, as investors, having assets worth $8 trillion, pushed 54 companies to phase out the use of forever chemicals. According to the details, the net sales of 3M’s PFAS are about $1.3 billion per year. The company thinks that phasing out the forever chemicals will cost them around $1.3 billion to $2.3 billion without taxes. In August this year, Joe Biden’s government said that it would propose adding some forever chemicals to the list of hazardous substances. Meanwhile, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands have also been working on a plan to curb the use of PFAS, which they aim to introduce by January. It is worth noting here that PFAS are extremely hazardous to not only the environment but to human health as well. A number of scientific studies have revealed their connection with cancer and heart problems. The substances do not easily decompose, and hazardous levels of their presence have been detected in drinking water, soil, and food.