NSW Greens MLC and Chair of the NSW Inquiry into PFAS contamination, Cate Faehrmann, say she has welcomed the federal government’s decision to launch legal action against chemicals giant 3M over PFAS contamination, but warned that communities and state governments must not again be left to foot the bill.
‘Today’s announcement confirms the Commonwealth is suing 3M for more than $2 billion over the widespread contamination caused by PFAS-containing firefighting foam, including at 28 Defence bases across Australia. [abc.net.au],‘
‘This is a significant and welcome move. For too long, communities exposed to PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ have been left in the dark while governments and corporations passed the buck,’ Ms Faehrmann said.
‘3M has faced legal action across the world for PFAS contamination, and it is right that the Federal Government is now stepping up to recover the enormous costs imposed on taxpayers and communities’.
As Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into PFAS contamination in waterways and drinking water supplies, Ms Faehrmann said the evidence heard in NSW makes it clear that the problem goes far beyond Defence land.
‘Our inquiry made it clear that PFAS contamination is not confined to Defence bases. Firefighting foam and other PFAS sources have been used right across New South Wales, contaminating rivers, ecosystems and drinking water supplies.
‘In the Blue Mountains, it was not a Defence site that contaminated local drinking water. This is a statewide problem requiring a statewide response’.
Ms Faehrmann said her visit to the United States in January 2025, including to Minnesota, Michigan and 3M headquarters, reinforced the scale of the challenge ahead and the need for dedicated funding for long-term clean-up.
‘In Minnesota, I saw firsthand how compensation payments from 3M are being used to fund large-scale clean-up of drinking water and natural systems. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested to restore safe water supplies and repair environmental damage.’
‘Any compensation secured through this legal action must include funding for states like New South Wales to undertake the massive clean-up task ahead.
‘Our inquiry found that PFAS is extremely difficult and expensive to remove once it enters the environment. The only effective long-term solution is to stop these chemicals at the source and phase them out,’ she said
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