Commonwealth accuses chemical giant of hiding health impacts of PFAS

• The Australian government has filed a $2 billion lawsuit against chemical manufacturer 3M, alleging the company knowingly supplied toxic firefighting foams that contaminated 28 Defence bases and surrounding areas.
• The claim asserts that 3M was aware by 1979 that PFAS chemicals were environmentally persistent and toxic to humans and animals, yet continued to market and sell the products for another 24 years.
• Federal Court documents describe the company’s actions as a “reprehensible” disregard for public safety, resulting in the long-term contamination of land, wildlife, and local drinking water supplies.

The Australian government has launched a massive $2 billion lawsuit against U.S. chemical giant 3M, accusing the manufacturer of deliberately concealing the toxic nature of firefighting foams used at military bases nationwide. This landmark Federal Court claim—the largest ever brought by the Commonwealth—labels 3M’s conduct as “intentional and reprehensible,” alleging the company suppressed evidence regarding the long-term environmental and health dangers of its products.

According to court documents, 3M knew as early as 1979 that the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within its firefighting foam were “forever chemicals” that persist indefinitely in the environment. The government alleges the company was fully aware that these substances bioaccumulate in both humans and animals, carry significant toxic risks, and easily migrate into vital drinking water supplies.

Despite these internal findings, the Commonwealth claims 3M and its Australian subsidiary continued to manufacture, market, and sell the aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for another 24 years, until at least 2003. The statement of claim describes this as a “conscious, contumelious, and outrageous disregard” for the safety of the Australian public, military personnel, and residents living in communities surrounding the affected bases.

The scale of the litigation is unprecedented. During the first case management hearing, Justice Catherine Button described the 1,600-page statement of claim as “daunting,” while 3M’s own legal team characterized it as the most complex matter they had ever encountered. The government is seeking damages to address the fallout from three decades of training and operational activities at 28 Defence bases, where the heavy discharge of foam resulted in widespread contamination of soil and water systems.

The lawsuit represents a major effort to hold the chemical manufacturer accountable for the long-term impact of PFAS, which the Commonwealth alleges has resulted in significant environmental damage and ongoing risks to human health across the country.

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Original article and photo by "ABC News"