Australia Launches $1.4 Billion Suit Over 3M ‘Forever Chemicals’ Contamination at Bases
The Australian government has filed a $1.4 billion lawsuit against 3M over contamination caused by its PFAS-containing firefighting foam used at military bases. This lawsuit is the largest legal claim ever brought by the Australian government and follows significant remediation costs incurred by the military. 3M has denied the allegations, stating that the Australian military continued to use the foam long after 3M ceased sales in the country.
- ▪Australia is suing 3M for $1.4 billion USD over PFAS contamination at military bases.
- ▪The Australian military has spent approximately $920 million USD on remediation efforts related to the contamination.
- ▪3M claims that the Australian military had ample time to address the issues with the firefighting foam.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Sometimes it feels as though specialty chemicals giant 3M—once possibly Earth’s single greatest promoter of fluorine atoms—will be litigating the damage done by its “forever chemicals” more or less forever. After much litigation, 3M agreed to pay $10.3 billion to settle with scores of U.S. municipalities over its toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 2023. It paid the state of New Jersey $450 million in a settlement just last year. And it has been litigating hundreds of cases like this since at least 1999.
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