Over the past few years, there’s been increasing concern over the negative impact of certain chemicals found in consumer products.
Most notably, PFAS – or "forever chemicals" – have been the subject of scrutiny because they have been linked to harmful health effects.
These widely used chemicals break down slowly over time and have been discovered in air, waterways, soil, animals and humans.
Multinational manufacturer 3M has been widely criticized as a producer of PFAS and is facing legal and investor pressures, as well as cleanup costs.
The company announced recently that it would phase out production of PFAS – a business worth $1.3 billion annually.
Reuters cited Victoria Scholar, head of investment at abrdn's Interactive Investor, who said she believes other chemical companies will follow 3M’s lead.
3M set a 2025 deadline for reaching this goal.