The Australian government is taking legal action against the US chemical company 3M because of the massive contamination caused by so-called perpetual chemicals.
According to its own statements, the state is demanding more than two billion Australian dollars (around 1.2 billion euros) in damages due to contamination by firefighting foam containing PFAS at military bases. According to the government, this is the largest compensation claim Australia has ever made.
The lawsuit is directed against the US conglomerate and its Australian subsidiary. Attorney General Michelle Rowland spoke of a “significant legal dispute” with far-reaching consequences for the environment and public finances. “The government is prepared to take on one of the largest multinational corporations in the world,” she added.
What are eternity chemicals?
PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) have been used for decades in firefighting foam, pan coatings and outdoor products, among other things, because of their water-, fat- and heat-resistant properties. It is a huge group of over 10,000 man-made industrial chemicals that do not occur in nature.
The substances hardly break down in the environment and in the body and are therefore also called “forever chemicals”. Studies link them, among other things, to liver damage, low birth weight and certain types of cancer, as the consumer advice center explains on its website.
Rowland said 3M’s alleged misconduct had “resulted in enormous burdens for the Department of Defense and Australian taxpayers.” So far, more than a billion Australian dollars have been spent on investigations and decontamination on military sites.
According to the government in Canberra, the contaminated firefighting foam was used at 28 military locations. Australia accuses 3M of claiming that the substances are biodegradable and harmless. The US giant withheld references to “significant harmful environmental effects”.
3M wants to defend itself
3M announced that it would defend itself against the allegations in court. According to broadcaster SBS, the company explained that it had never produced PFAS in Australia and that it had stopped selling the affected products there around 20 years ago. However, the Australian military continued to use the firefighting foams for a long time afterwards.
According to CNN, the company is facing thousands of lawsuits worldwide due to PFAS contamination. In the USA, 3M had already agreed to a billion-dollar settlement with water suppliers in 2023.
In NYSE trading, 3M shares were temporarily 1.33 percent lower at $153.10.
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