3M sued for $1.4 billion by Australia over "forever chemicals" at defense bases
Summary
Australia is suing the U.S. company 3M for over 2 billion Australian dollars (about $1.4 billion) because of pollution caused by firefighting foam at Australian defense bases. The foam contains PFAS, chemicals that do not break down and can harm health. Australia says 3M did not properly warn about the risks, while 3M says it stopped selling the foam in Australia 20 years ago and will fight the claim.Key Facts
- Australia’s government filed the lawsuit in Federal Court for contamination at 28 defense bases.
- The chemicals involved are called PFAS or "forever chemicals" because they do not break down naturally.
- PFAS were used in firefighting foam to fight fuel fires and have been produced since the 1950s.
- Australia alleges 3M withheld information about the environmental risks of these chemicals.
- 3M claims it never made PFAS in Australia and stopped selling the foam there around 20 years ago.
- The Australian Defense Department spent about AU$1.3 billion managing the contamination, including removing contaminated soil and treating water.
- The lawsuit seeks compensation for past and future costs due to the contamination.
- Officials describe this as one of Australia’s largest legal actions related to environmental contamination.
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