News Coverage
3M to stop making chemical
Published March 16, 2005
3M says it plans to cease one use of a perfluorochemical that has the potential to cause cancer.
3M says it will reduce by 98 percent the use of the chemical known as PFOA in a process that makes raw materials for coatings in non-stick cookware and industrial metals.
Spokesman Bill Nelson says 3M's PFOA use is limited to its Dyneon subsidiary plant in Europe.
The Environmental Working Group, a watchdog group based in Washington, said 3M's decision is a good step. But it says chemical manufacturers should do more to reduce perfluorochemicals in humans and the environment.
For decades 3M was the sole manufacturer of PFOA. In 2000, 3M announced it would stop making the perfluorochemicals at its Cottage Grove plant and elsewhere. The announcement came after traces of PFOA and another chemical, PFOS, turned up in the nations blood supply and proved toxic to lab animals.
3M says there is no evidence the chemicals are making workers or anyone else sick.