Life Cycle Management Success Stories
3M Designs Safer Cleaning Products
3M is dedicated to pro-actively managing its use of persistent chemicals, as
outlined in the company's Corporate Persistent Chemicals Policy. The policy
applies to all 3M operations globally and is applied broadly to all product
commercialization activity. In particular, 3M is committed to developing
commercial cleaning products, such as 3M Glass Cleaner Concentrate (Product
No. 1, Twist 'n Fill System) and 3M Neutral Cleaner Concentrate (Product No. 3,
Twist 'n Fill System), that do not contain alkyl phenol ethoxylates. As part
of this commitment, 3M is a proud to be a part of the US Environmental
Protection Agency's Design for the Environment's Safer Detergents Stewardship
Initiative which promotes the use and development of "safer surfactants" or
surfactants that breakdown quickly in the environment.
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Recycling Scrap Material from X-ray Film
3M supplies a film that is used as the base material for an X-ray film that can develop finished X-rays without the use of chemicals. A team from 3M plants in Greenville, South Carolina, and Decatur, Alabama, created a way to recycle blue polyester scrap with clear material into the film. By the second year, nearly 4.5 million pounds of scrap materials were reused. More (PDF, 182 KB).
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Water-based Adhesive Meets Customers' Environmental Needs
Furniture companies turned to 3M for an environmentally improved, fast
drying adhesive that would bond well with various materials used in the
manufacture of their goods. 3M's Engineered Adhesives Division formed an
international team to develop an easy-to-use, water-based adhesive that provides
effective foam bonding and environmental advantages. 3M™ Fastbond™ Foam
Adhesive 100NF, an entirely new product using new technology, was introduced.
It eliminated an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 gallons of solvents in the first
year following introduction and reduced waste disposal due to high coverage.
One gallon of Fastbond foam adhesive provides about the same coverage as 3 to 4
gallons of a typical flammable foam adhesive.
More (PDF, 195 KB).
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Halogen-free Cable Insulation Reduces Risk
Each year computer cable worth hundreds of millions of dollars is sold worldwide to link computers, monitors, printers and other electronic equipment. Halogen-based chemistries containing flourine, chlorine and bromine are used in many types of insulating and fire retardant materials. A team within Interconnect Solutions Division was formed to develop a halogen-free insulating material that would perform as well as the materials currently in use. More (PDF, 73 KB).
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