Australia has launched an extraordinary multibillion-dollar lawsuit over widespread contamination of defence sites with "forever chemicals".
The federal government is suing manufacturer 3M for more than $2 billion to recover costs from per- and poly-fluoroaklyl substances (PFAS) contamination in firefighting foam at 28 defence bases across the country.
The claim, lodged in the Federal Court, alleges 3M withheld a range of information and misrepresented the effects of its aqueous film-forming foam, including environmental risks.
"This is the largest legal claim ever brought by the Commonwealth," Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told reporters on Thursday.
Recouped money would be used to cover past and future expenses incurred in investigating and managing contamination resulting from the historical storage and use of the foam.
It has already cost Australian taxpayers more than $1 billion to investigate, remediate and mitigate PFAS contamination on defence estates.
