Australia sues 3M for over $2bn over PFAS contamination at defence bases

The Story

The Australian government has launched legal action against multinational manufacturer 3M, seeking more than $2bn in damages over PFAS chemical contamination from firefighting foam at defence bases. Attorney General Michelle Rowland stated the lawsuit is the largest legal claim ever brought by the federal government and alleged 3M withheld information about environmental and health risks.

Key Facts

• The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $2bn (US$1.4bn).
• Three key PFAS chemicals were banned in Australia last year.
• Health risks linked to PFAS include liver damage, lower birth weight and testicular cancer.
• The government alleges 3M and its Australian subsidiary withheld and misrepresented information about aqueous film-forming foam.
• Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil said 28 defence bases were affected, requiring removal of over 200,000 tonnes of contaminated soil and use of more than 13bn litres of water.
• Defence began phasing out PFAS chemicals in 2004.
• 3M set a 2025 deadline to stop producing PFAS chemicals in late 2022.
• A 3M spokesperson said the company never manufactured PFAS in Australia and stopped sales around two decades ago, adding that Defence continued using PFAS‑containing foams for nearly two decades longer.
• 3M agreed to a US$10.3bn settlement in the US in 2023 for clean up of public water systems.
• The US Environmental Protection Agency has called PFAS an “urgent public health and environmental issue”.
• A parliamentary inquiry last year found PFAS risk remained around the country.
• The federal government settled a $133m class action on PFAS in 2023.

Conflicting Reports

The government’s allegations that 3M withheld information and misrepresented risks are disputed by 3M’s statement that it never manufactured PFAS in Australia, stopped sales around two decades ago, and that Defence continued using the foams for nearly two decades longer.

Still Unclear

No open questions identified in the source article.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Michelle Rowland, Attorney General of Australia
• Peter Khalil, Assistant Defence Minister of Australia
• Peter Whish-Wilson, Greens spokesperson
• Unnamed spokesperson for 3M

Sources: The Guardian