2023-06-23 12:59:52
The multinational 3M agreed to pay between 10 and 12.5 billion dollars over thirteen years to American cities and municipalities that were suing the group. The agreement must still be validated by a judge, but this settlement would be the most important in the so-called “eternal pollutants” case.
Published on: 06/23/2023 – 12:59Modified on: 06/23/2023 – 13:02
The general public knows the company above all for its flagship products such as Scotch adhesive tape, self-adhesive notepads or even Post-it notes, which have become commonplace. But 3M is not just a friendly papermaker, it is also and above all an industrial conglomerate whose chemical activities are accused of having polluted the soil and drinking water of many cities.
On the TV channel CNBC, Aaron Frey the Attorney General of the State of Maine, explained, ten days ago, why he had initiated proceedings against 3M but also the Franco-American company DuPont and several others. “ Across the state, farmers and schoolchildren are at risk from the level of PFAS found in soil and water. Some breeders have had to euthanize their entire herd because of the extent of chemical pollution. he declared.
PFAS, responsible for cancer
PFAS, contraction for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are substances that are found in particular in fire-fighting foam or on the non-stick surfaces of stoves, for example. The problem is that, even ingested by the human body or in nature, these substances do not deteriorate, hence their nickname “eternal pollutants”. They are associated with all kinds of health problems, including the development of cancers.
The billions, which the multinational 3M and several other large companies undertake to pay, will be used to test and, if necessary, to clean up water and soil. It will take years anyway.
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