3M knew for more than 50 years that its products could harm humans, Australian government alleges in court documents

Published August 17, 2026 · Category: News

Overview

Exclusive: federal government court filings claim internal company documents included warnings about products being toxic

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Manufacturing company 3M knew more than 50 years ago that its firefighting products – including components in Pfas “forever chemicals” – could be hazardous to the health of humans and animals and damage the environment, the federal government has claimed in court documents.

Details

In filings as part of its $2bn lawsuit against the multinational company, commonwealth lawyers said products sold to Australia were known to stay present in water and soil, were persistent in the human body and in animals, and contributed to conditions including reduced kidney function, alterations in immune function, effects on fertility and puberty and lower birth weight in babies.

Source

Originally published at www.theguardian.com.

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