One of the most successful and innovative American corporations was pressured to take a safe and useful product off the market last week by a federal regulatory bureaucracy that demands precautionary action even in the absence of evidence that a health or environmental hazard exists. The 3M Company moved to phase out its popular Scotchgard line after 40 years, even though there was no reason to believe that these products, which protect clothing, fabrics, upholstery and carpets, were harmful to human or animal health, or the environment. None as far as we know. All living organisms are continually exposed to foreign chemicals. As a result, human tissues and body fluids contain trace levels of any and all of these.
Blood absorbs virtually all substances to which a person is exposed.
As to environmental persistence, naturally occurring elements such as iron are just as pervasive and persistent, and also without untoward effects. Environmental activists are characterizing the 3M decision as a great victory for the precautionary principle. Simply put, 3M decided to switch rather than fight. The fact that a major corporation would decide that the costs of defending their products against baseless, unscientific charges would be higher than the profits to be made should send chills through every corporate and consumer spine in America. By abandoning Scotchgard, 3M is joining the likes of Frito-Lay, which has all but rejected the spectacular promise of bioengineered foods, and Baxter Labs, which similarly caved when its plastic medical devices came under unscientific attack.