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Everywhere & Forever: Blood. Water. And the Politics of PFAS.
A new FOX 9 documentary tells the inside story of how 3M contaminated the world?s blood and water. Video depositions exclusively obtained by the FOX 9 Investigators reveal what company executives said under oath.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - 3M, a Minnesota-based company, says it completed its plan to stop manufacturing PFAS chemicals by the end of 2025.
What we know:
3M previously announced a plan to stop all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.
A spokesperson said the company "completed this exit as scheduled by the end of the year."
The backstory:
The Minnesota-based company started producing the chemicals in the 1950s and used them to make blockbuster products like Scotchgard. However, the chemicals also leaked into the groundwater supply in the east metro and eventually contaminated water and blood across the globe.
The company stopped making some forever chemicals in 2000 but continued to produce PFAS.
3M was later sued by the State of Minnesota for environmental damages and agreed to pay a nearly $900-million settlement in 2018.
Why you should care:
The settlement money is now running out, and 3M has questioned some remediation projects, leading to concerns in local communities about who will pay to clean up public water supplies contaminated with PFAS.
"3M has taken, and will continue to take, actions to address PFAS manufactured prior to the phase out," the company said in a statement. "For example, we have invested $1 billion globally in state-of-the-art water treatment technologies at our largest water-using locations. These technologies will continue treating PFAS from historical manufacturing far into the future."
Despite those investments, the company continues to face lawsuits across the globe and here in Minnesota related to PFAS.
What you can do:
A FOX 9 documentary revealed the inside story of how the company withheld early research into PFAS contamination.
WATCH: "Everywhere & Forever: Blood. Water. And the Politics of PFAS"
Timeline:
You can also follow this timeline that highlights key moments in the company’s history that ultimately led to thousands of other ongoing lawsuits and a new state law.