Australia’s $1.4 billion PFAS lawsuit could be a global model

By Bec Roldan | C&EN | June 9, 2026

Read the full article by Bec Roldan (C&EN)

"The Australian government’s A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) lawsuit, announced May 28, against chemical manufacturer 3M for alleged environmental damages from firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) could lay the groundwork for other countries struggling with billion-dollar remediation projects, analysts say.

“A federal state holding a multinational company accountable for national-scale environmental pollution is bold,” says Hélène Duguy, an environmental lawyer at ClientEarth who specializes in chemical pollution.

While the lawsuit is focused only on PFAS contamination at Australian defense sites, Duguy says it could be a model to consolidate local claims of PFAS contamination while recovering costs associated with remediation. The results of the lawsuit could encourage other governments to “take the burden off the shoulders of municipalities and residents who do this on their own.”