3M has agreed to pay a $30,000 fine to settle allegations over clean-air violations at its facility in Cottage Grove, federal officials said today.
The Environmental Protection Agency had alleged that Maplewood-based 3M violated "monitoring and recordkeeping requirements for systems to control particulate matter emissions from its calciners and dryers at its abrasives systems division," the EPA said in a news release.
Inhaling high concentrations of these particulates can affect children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases the most, the agency said.
The alleged violations were discovered during an EPA inspection in October 2006, and the agency added that 3M has since been in compliance.
PAUL WALSH
