PFAS class actions over groundwater contaminated by toxic firefighting foam settled by Federal Government

By Stephanie Zillman | ABC News | February 27, 2020

Read the full article by Stephanie Zillman (ABC News)

"An "in-principle" settlement has been reached between the Australian Government and residents of three communities who had their groundwater contaminated by toxic firefighting foams used at defence bases until the early 2000s.

Residents from Williamtown in New South Wales, Oakey in Queensland and Katherine in the Northern Territory had each brought class actions, which contended that the Department of Defence was liable for depressed land values and business outlooks.

The groundwater was found to be contaminated in each community, following the widespread use of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals that do not breakdown and instead bio-accumulate in soil — which were widely used in firefighting foams at defence bases..."