Australia is seeking A$2bn from 3M over alleged PFAS contamination at defence sites, in what officials call the government’s largest legal claim.
Australia is suing US manufacturing giant 3M for AU$2bn in damages over alleged contamination from PFAS-containing firefighting foam used at defence sites across the country.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the case, announced Thursday, is the largest legal claim ever brought by the Australian government. The government is seeking to recover what it says are substantial public costs tied to investigating, cleaning up and managing contamination at 28 locations.
The lawsuit alleges 3M withheld and misrepresented information about its aqueous film-forming foam, including its environmental risks, while assuring authorities the product was safe. Rowland said the alleged conduct had contributed to major costs for the Department of Defence and taxpayers, including more than AU$1bn already spent on PFAS-related investigation, remediation and mitigation at defence estate sites.
“Make no mistake, this legal action against 3M is significant,” Rowland said.
PFAS, short for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, are often called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily under normal environmental conditions. They have been used for water-resistant and non-stick properties in products including firefighting foams, clothing, mobile phones and non-stick cookware.
Research cited in the source report has found PFAS can be present in dangerous concentrations in water, soil and food, and can linger in the body. In 2022, 3M said it would stop making and using PFAS amid concerns about links to health problems, including cancer.
3M rejected the thrust of the Australian case, saying it had never made PFAS in Australia and stopped selling the firefighting foam there 20 years ago. A company spokesperson said 3M would “defend ourselves against these claims through the legal process.”
The company also said Australia’s Department of Defence continued using PFAS-containing firefighting foams for two decades after 3M stopped selling the product in the country.
The case now turns on the government’s allegations about what 3M knew, what it disclosed, and whether its statements about disposal and environmental safety matched the company’s internal understanding at the time.
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