One of 3M's highest priorities is reducing volatile organic air emissions stemming from manufacturing and emissions of substances listed on United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). The majority of 3M's TRI releases are air releases (during the 2006 reporting year, over 75% of 3M's onsite TRI releases were releases to air).
Reductions have been accomplished through:
- Development of solventless technologies.
- Pollution prevention programs.
- Pollution control equipment.
Results:
- 95 percent reduction in total pounds of volatile organic air emissions since 1990.
- 95 percent reduction in total pounds of U.S. EPA TRI releases since 1990.
- 3M's global operations emitted 12.7 million pounds of volatile organic air emissions in 2007, compared with 255 million pounds in 1990 (1 pound = .454 kilograms).
- 3M released 3.7 million pounds of TRI releases in the United States in 2006 (2007 reporting year) compared with 69.5 million pounds in 1990.
