Australia’s government announced Thursday it has filed a massive lawsuit against chemical manufacturer 3M, demanding more than $1.43 billion in compensation for contamination linked to firefighting foam containing dangerous PFAS chemicals.
The legal case represents the largest lawsuit ever initiated by Australia and targets both the Minnesota-based company and its Australian subsidiary for environmental, economic and cultural damages caused by the contamination, officials said.
“Make no mistake, this legal action against 3M is significant,” Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told reporters.
“The Commonwealth is seeking more than A$2 billion in damages to recover significant past and future expenses incurred in investigating and managing contamination resulting from the historical storage and use of this foam,” Rowland stated.
Australian officials claim 3M provided assurances that the firefighting foam was safe for disposal, would break down naturally, and posed no toxicity risks when the government utilized it at 28 military installations nationwide.
However, Rowland accused 3M of concealing its own research that demonstrated “significant adverse environmental effects” from the product’s use.
In response, 3M indicated it plans to contest the allegations in court proceedings.
“3M has never manufactured PFAS in Australia and ceased sales of the products at issue in Australia around two decades ago,” the company stated.
“Despite this, the Department of Defence continued to use PFAS-containing firefighting foams for nearly two decades longer,” 3M added.
PFAS represents a category of synthetic chemicals commonly found in products designed to resist heat, stains, grease and water.
These substances, dubbed “forever chemicals,” persist indefinitely in the environment without natural decomposition, creating concerns about their buildup in ecosystems, water supplies and human bodies.
Scientific studies have connected PFAS exposure to various health problems including liver damage, reduced birth weight and testicular cancer.
Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil revealed the department has invested $1.3 billion addressing contamination consequences, including $408 million in legal settlements with impacted communities.
The cleanup efforts have involved treating or removing over 200,000 metric tons of contaminated soil and processing more than 13 billion liters of water.
“This is the most significant legal action undertaken by Commonwealth and Defence in living memory,” Khalil said.
“To put it plainly, we are taking on 3M on behalf of the Australian people and the Australians that are affected,” he added.
3M has confronted thousands of PFAS-related lawsuits. The company reached a $10.3 billion settlement in 2023 with numerous U.S. public water systems to resolve water pollution claims.
