The Australian Government has launched its largest legal action against 3M (MMM.N) over contamination linked to PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” Reuters reported. The Australian federal government has filed a massive lawsuit against the US-based manufacturing company 3M, seeking damages of more than A$2 billion.

The case, filed in the Federal Court of Australia, marks the first time the Commonwealth Government has brought such a large-scale lawsuit over PFAS contamination. The suit targets 3M’s headquarters in Minnesota as well as its subsidiary, 3M Australia, over alleged contamination caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Commonly known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are synthetic substances that do not naturally break down in the environment and were previously used in specialised firefighting foams at military sites. 

The landmark case aims to seek compensation for the "significant past and future financial costs of public entities in dealing with the ecological crisis," hatched by an Australian Attorney General, Formal Statements, in conformity with official government statements. Formal Statements delivered by the Australian Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, state that the extensive historic and future financial costs incurred by public agencies in managing the ecological crisis are being sought. The government claims that the chemicals were applied and stored around 28 different Australian defence bases, causing "significant contamination" of drinking water systems, inland ecosystems and soil. The executive team declared the Commonwealth's intention of holding the manufacturer fully responsible for all the complex environmental, cultural and economic damage caused to the nation and its taxpayers. 

The laws supporting this government's assertion are founded on serious charges of historical corporate misconduct. The prosecution argues that 3M Company was actively engaged in denying its own internal scientific testing, and empirical data clearly suggested that 3M's special formulation of aqueous film-forming foam carried significant adverse environmental and public health hazards. Moreover, the chemical mixes were said to have contained false, albeit explicit, assurances made by public officials to procurement managers that the mixtures were non-toxic, completely break down, and 100% compatible with municipal disposal. 

The chronic exposure of humans to these manufactured compounds is known to pose high biological risks to the human population. Liver damage was observed, and infant birth weights were substantially reduced, immune system suppression was seen, and higher rates of test cell cancer were observed, all correlated to the absorption of the chemicals. Given the increased structural health concerns as well as the ongoing environmental potential contamination concerns, the use of firefighting foams with the chemical has been fully discontinued in Australia. 

The cost to public finances of the decontamination process has already been put to the test. Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil announced that the Department of Defence had already expended around A$ 1,30,00,000 on the problem directly so far. This amounts to a combined contribution of AUD 40,80,00,000 paid out as settlements in localised areas in the region to compensate the heavily aAected regional communities. Teams of engineers have had to dig and physically process more than 200,000 tonnes of highly contaminated soil and filter over 13 billion litres of polluted water on the country's defence land to date.