Profit doesn't say much though. Take for example Amazon, one of the largest companies, but they don't make that much profit on paper. It's all accounting. But like someone else mentioned, they are tainting our water supply and ruining the climate. Why would we pay the price for that (in money or in health)? I live close to a river in which I don't dare to swim anymore, due to these companies (not only 3M). The guideline by the local authorities is: sure it is safe to swim there, as long as you don't (accidentally) drink the water.
You want to know the real kicker? 3M requested a new permit to dump in the river, and they might just get.
In the end it is simple, you create a product, you have waste. The company is responsible to process the waste in an environmental conscience way. Dumping it in a river is not environmental conscience. I don't care if they put it in storage bins and store it under ground like with nuclear, as long is that shit doesn't make it into nature and especially our water supply.
andromedathecat