Australia’s attorney general, Michelle Rowland, announced a lawsuit against 3M seeking more than $1.4 billion in damages for concealing the risks of forever chemicals used at over two dozen defence bases. The claim marks the biggest legal action ever launched by the Australian government and targets the Minnesota‑based conglomerate’s firefighting‑foam products.

PFAS, the chemical family behind the foam, does not break down and has been linked to liver disease, immune suppression and cancer. 3M agreed in 2024 to pay $10.3 billion to U.S. water utilities and has settled dozens of state lawsuits. In Australia the defence department has already spent more than $366 million on class‑action payouts and over $1 billion on investigation and cleanup, costs the government says the company’s secrecy inflated.

3M vowed to contest the case, noting it stopped selling the foam in Australia two decades ago and never manufactured PFAS locally. The suit adds to a growing global backlash that could pressure the firm’s remaining PFAS revenue, estimated at $1.3 billion annually, and influence future regulator scrutiny. Australia plans to channel any recovered funds into significant soil and water remediation for affected communities.