3M to Restart Some Belgian Production After PFAS-Related Halt

Belgian authorities have given a green light to 3M Co. to “partially restart” production in Antwerp, but the majority of the factory’s “forever chemicals” operations remain idle more than seven months after the government ordered a shutdown due to contamination.

The Flemish Environment Department told 3M Thursday that a “couple of their processes” could restart but most of the company’s PFAS chemical production remains closed, said Andy Pieters, a spokesman for the Environment Ministry. PFAS, or per-and-polyfluoralkyl substances, are known as as forever chemicals because they accumulate in the environment and are almost indestructible.

3M’s manufacturing activities over several ...