3M contamination of Minnesota groundwater

From the 1950s through the early 2000s, 3M disposed of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances produced during the manufacturing process of various industrial products in four dumping sites in Minnesota.

[1] These chemicals have contaminated the groundwater of over 170,000 residents of the Twin Cities East Metro Area, culminating in an $850 million settlement with the State of Minnesota in 2018.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also known as PFAs – are widely used, long lasting chemicals found in many consumer, commercial, and industrial products.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are all conducting ongoing studies to assess the implications of exposure to PFAs on the body and/or awarding grants to universities for the study of PFAs.

[6][9][5][4] Following initial discoveries of groundwater contamination in 2002, the Minnesota Department of Health conducted numerous studies –concluding in 2008, 2010, and 2014 – on the level of PFAs found in the bloodstreams of exposed residents.

3M Corporate Headquarters – Located inside the state identified contamination area. [ 3 ]
Afton State Park – One of the public parks located within the state identified contamination area.
Grey, shaded areas represent 3M dumping areas. Purple dots represent contaminated water sources.