Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a chemical that does not occur naturally but has many industrial uses. Its

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Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a chemical that does not occur naturally but has many industrial uses. Its derivative, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), was used in the product ScotchGuard manufactured by 3M. As the properties of PFOA and its derivatives became better known, 3M withdrew the product, reformulated it to eliminate PFOS and reintroduced it. Among the worrisome properties of PFOA/PFOS were: their persistence in the environment; their wide presence, not just in people but also in seals and polar bears in the Arctic; and their association with developmental disorders in laboratory animals. 3M acted in the absence of regulations or lawsuits in a way that would fall under the "pure and unadulterated socialism" category of Milton Friedman. Explain the reasoning that may have been behind 3M's decision to eliminate PFOA/PFOS from ScotchGuard. In what way did their decision make business sense? Discuss both the tangible and intangible factors.

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