A multinational manufacturing heavyweight is vowing to fight a multibillion-dollar lawsuit over widespread contamination of Australian defence sites with "forever chemicals".
The federal government is suing 3M for more than $2 billion to recover costs from per and poly-fluoroaklyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foam that contaminated 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.
It was the largest legal claim ever brought by the Commonwealth, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told reporters on Thursday.
"Australians rightly expect their government to stand up for them and to hold companies accountable when communities and the environment are impacted," she said.
