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Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
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The number of companies, in addition to the named parties disclosed in the document, that have been included in an enforcement action.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AdditionalCompaniesInvolvedInComplaint
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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The amount of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in drinking water allowed per the guidance of the provisional health advisories issued by the EPA in 2009 under the Safe Drinking Water Act (presented parts per trillion).

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfPFOAInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerProvisionalHealthAdvisories
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The amount of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in drinking water allowed per the guidance of the provisional health advisories issued by the EPA in 2009 under the Safe Drinking Water Act (presented in parts per trillion).

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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This element represents the amount of PFBS chemicals allowed in drinking water (in parts per billion) per guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfPfbsInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerMinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth
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The amount of Perfluoroocotanoate (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in drinking water allowed per the EPA's announced lifetime health advisory levels (presented as parts per trillion).

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfPfoaAndPfosInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerEpaLifetimeHealthAdvisoryLevels
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This element represents the amount of PFOA chemicals allowed in drinking water (in parts per trillion) as per guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfPfoaInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerMinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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This element represents the amount of PFOS chemicals allowed in drinking water (in parts per trillion) per guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfPfosInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerMinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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This element represents the amount of PFHxS chemicals allowed in drinking water (in parts per trillion) per guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountsOfPfhxsInDrinkingWaterAllowedPerMinnesotaDepartmentOfHealth
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The number of landfills tested by the entity for environmental matters and litigation related to historical PFAS manufacturing operations.

No definition available.

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The number of years the Company expects it will pay the amounts recorded over the periods of remediation for the applicable sites.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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The total number of additional new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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The approximate number of miles of the river plaintiffs are seeking to be cleaned.

No definition available.

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The number of years the entity incorporated wastewater treatment plant sludge containing PFCs pursuant to a permit issued by ADEM.

No definition available.

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The number of chemicals of concern in the sediment.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfChemicalsOfConcern
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The number of class action lawsuits involved.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfClassActionLawsuits
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Represents the number of closed municipal landfills.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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The number of commercial drum conditioning facilities.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfCommercialDrumConditioningFacilities
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number compounds EPA asked for public comment on draft toxicity assessments for PFAS compounds, including PFBS.

No definition available.

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The number of facilities related to the manufacture and disposal of PFAS.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfFacilitiesRelatedToManufactureAndDisposalOfPFS
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

This element represents the number of federal bellwether cases that have a scheduled trial date set.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of federal bellwether cases the court issued the first round of dispositive motion rulings.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The number of local water works for whom the water authority supplies supply water.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of PFCs the EPA has required to have public water system suppliers monitor.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The number of perfluorinated materials (FBSA and FBSEE) the company cannot release into "the waters of the United States."

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfPerfluorinatedMaterialsFBSAndFBSEE
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Balance Type:	na
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The amount of public water supplies for which the EPA reported results.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfPublicWaterSuppliesEpaReportedResults
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The number of putative class action and other lawsuits.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfPutativeClassActionAndOtherLawsuits
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of samples used of water supplies used by the EPA to test for lifetime health advisory amounts of PFOA and PFOS chemicals.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfSamplesFromWaterSuppliesUsedForTesting
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The number of unnamed defendants.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfUnnamedDefendants
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount of water supplies that reported above the lifetime health advisory level issued by the EPA for both PFOA and PFOS under the technical advisory issued by the EPA in September 2016.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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The amount of water supplies that reported above the lifetime health advisory level issued by the EPA for PFOA.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfWaterSuppliesThatReportedAboveAdvisoryLevelWithPfoa
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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The amount of water supplies that reported above the lifetime health advisory level issued by the EPA for PFOS.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfWaterSuppliesThatReportedAboveAdvisoryLevelWithPfos
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Number of years after phase-out decision in May 2000 that the Company stopped manufacturing and using vast majority of perfluorooctanyl compounds.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_NumberOfYearsAfterPhaseOutDecisionInMay2000ThatCompanyStoppedManufacturingPlusUsingVastMajorityOfPerfluorooctanylCompounds
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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in the amount of benefits the ceding insurer expects to recover on insurance policies ceded to other insurance entities as of the balance sheet date for all guaranteed benefit types.

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Amount due in settlement of a claim for reimbursement from an insurance company when the Company has suffered a loss covered under an insurance policy.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Amount awarded to other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedToOtherParty
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Amount of litigation expense, including but not limited to legal, forensic, accounting, and investigative fees.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
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Amount of loss contingency liability.

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Amount of increase (decrease) in loss contingency liability.

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The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.

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The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

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Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

No definition available.

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Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

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