EPA pressures 3M to phase out PFOS after Washington Post expose; company announces voluntary withdrawal

After a Washington Post investigation reveals PFOS is detectable in the blood of virtually all Americans tested, the EPA pressures 3M to stop manufacturing the compound. 3M announces a voluntary phase-out of PFOS-based products, including Scotchgard, by 2002 — but the agreement includes no cleanup obligation, no remediation fund, and no liability admission. The phase-out applies only to new production; billions of pounds of PFAS-containing products remain in use.