Item 8.01. Other Events

As previously disclosed in the Company's SEC filings, 3M Belgium has been working through certain environmental matters with relevant Belgian government agencies in connection with operations at 3M Belgium's Zwijndrecht facility, including those related to a wastewater discharge permit modification and air emissions. Actions by the Belgian government resulted in the idling of certain manufacturing processes at the facility.

As an update, 3M Belgium has received approval to begin the process toward restarting its manufacturing operations at the Zwijndrecht facility, following the Company's previously announced investment in new and additional technologies to significantly reduce PFAS discharges and emissions from the facility. 3M Belgium expects the process for restarting previously-idled operations at the facility to take at least several weeks. Belgian government authorities continue to maintain oversight of 3M Belgium's operations and compliance with applicable requirements at the Zwijndrecht facility.

As also previously disclosed, the Company has been working with Belgian government agencies to address remediation related to legacy manufacturing of PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) at the Zwijndrecht facility. In addition to the investments the Company previously announced to advance remedial actions for the Zwijndrecht community to address such legacy manufacturing at the facility, the Company is in discussions with the Belgian government authorities regarding additional investments to fund further remediation actions related to PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) previously produced at the Zwijndrecht facility.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Form 8-K contains forward-looking information about 3M's financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "could," "target," "forecast" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, regulatory, capital markets and other external conditions and other factors beyond the Company's control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers; (2) risks related to public health crises such as the global pandemic associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19); (3) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (4) liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, including lawsuits concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, and claims and governmental regulatory proceedings and inquiries related to PFAS in a variety of jurisdictions; (5) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, as updated by the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 26, 2022, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the "Reports"); (6) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (7) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (8) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events); (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information technology infrastructure; (10) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (11) operational execution, including scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (12) financial market risks that may affect the Company's funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; (13) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of capital; (14) tax-related external conditions, including changes in tax rates, laws or regulations; (15) any interruptions or delays encountered in restarting the previously-idled manufacturing operations at the Zwijndrecht, Belgium facility, and (16) the outcome of discussions with the Belgian government authorities on additional remediation. Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results" and "Risk Factors" in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports). The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements discussed herein as a result of new information or future events or developments.

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