Adedokun Waliyu 
The Australian government has launched a legal action worth AU$2 billion (about $1.43 billion) against American consumer goods company 3M over contamination linked to firefighting foam containing “forever chemicals.”
The government said the chemicals contaminated 28 military bases across the country.
Australia’s Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil, explained that the government is seeking compensation to recover the cost of managing environmental contamination caused by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
He described it as the biggest legal action ever taken by an Australian government on the issue.
According to Khalil, the Australian Defence Force has already removed 200,000 tonnes of PFAS-contaminated soil because of the danger posed to nearby communities.
“We are prepared to take on one of the biggest multinational corporations in the world,” Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said.
The Australian government stated that the case had been filed in the Federal Court, alleging that 3M knew about the environmental risks linked to the firefighting foam but failed to properly disclose them.
The government also accused the company of giving assurances about environmental safety and disposal methods that were inconsistent with what it allegedly knew at the time.
In response, 3M said it would defend itself against the claims through the legal process.
The company stated that it never manufactured PFAS in Australia and stopped selling the products involved in the case in Australia about two decades ago.
3M, known for producing Post-it notes and Scotch tape, previously agreed to a $10 billion settlement in the United States in 2023 over contamination of water supplies linked to PFAS chemicals.
PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly in the environment. They are human-made chemicals used in products that resist heat, water, and oil, including nonstick pans and stain-resistant carpets.
Many countries are now restricting their use because of concerns about harmful health effects.
Although Australia’s Defence Force stopped using PFAS-containing foams in 2004, high levels of the chemicals still remain around several military sites.
A parliamentary inquiry last year heard evidence from an Aboriginal community living near a navy base in New South Wales. Residents said they bathed in and collected food from rivers contaminated by the chemicals and feared the pollution had caused health problems.
Another PFAS contamination area was discovered in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area near an air force base in 2024.
As public concern increased, the Australian military spent about AU$1.3 billion treating 13 billion litres of water and supplying alternative water sources, including bottled water and rainwater tanks, to 785 properties.
In 2023, the Australian government also settled a AU$133 million class-action lawsuit with residents from seven affected communities.
