3M knew firefighting foams were toxic for decades, documents reveal | NationofChange
3M knew firefighting foams were toxic for decades, documents reveal | NationofChange
Fluorocarbon-laden firefighting foams are used because they work well. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. These compounds are used everywhere (mostly in applications the average person doesn't ever see) because they truly have wondrous properties. Too bad humankind went crazy with the super material once again.
Mmmh, name a better duo, humankind and toxic useful substances.
Not 3M
Were they ever claimed to be non-toxic? I feel like it may be a case of "this stuff is bad for you, but being lit on fire is significantly worse."
• 3M marketed its firefighting foams as safe and biodegradable for decades, despite knowing they contained toxic PFAS chemicals that persist in the environment.
• Evidence from as early as 1949 showed PFAS did not degrade, yet 3M continued promoting its products as environmentally neutral until the 1990s.
• PFAS contamination, linked to thyroid disease, cancer, and other health issues, is now found in water, soil, animals, and human blood worldwide.
• Misleading claims led to widespread environmental damage, including disposal of PFAS in rivers and agricultural fields, described as “disastrous” by experts.
• 3M paid $10 billion in settlements for PFAS contamination but has not admitted liability and plans to cease PFAS production by 2025.
• PFOS firefighting foams were banned in the UK in 2011, but PFOA foams will not be fully restricted until 2025, and other PFAS compounds remain in use.
• Experts warn that PFAS pollution represents a global public health crisis with no quick fixes due to the chemicals’ extreme persistence.