Australia sues US giant 3M over 'forever chemicals' in firefighting foam

The Australian Government is suing US manufacturing giant 3M for AU$2bn in damages (US$1.4bn; £1.1bn) over its alleged use of toxic "forever chemicals" in firefighting foam that contaminated dozens of defence bases across the country.It is the largest legal claim ever brought by the government, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said, as it seeks to recoup the "substantial costs" in dealing with the chemicals - known as PFAS - at 28 locations.It claims 3M withheld and misrepresented details about the foam and its environmental impact, assuring them it was safe, despite knowing otherwise.In response, 3M said it has never made PFAS in Australia and stopped selling the foam there 20 years ago.In announcing the legal action on Thursday, Rowland said the government was committed to holding 3M and 3M-Australia" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135603" data-entity-type="organization">3M Australia to account "for the economic and environmental harms associated with PFAS contamination"."This misconduct has contributed to substantial costs for defence and the Australian taxpayer, including over $1bn to date to investigate, remediate and mitigate PFAS contamination at defence estate sites," she said. "Make no mistake, this legal action against 3M is significant."PFAS - also known as per- and poly-fluoroaklyl substances - are known for their water-resistant and non-stick properties and can be found in firefighting foams, mobile phones, clothing and non-stick cooking pans.