On January 22, 2025, the Australian Senate Select Committee on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) hosted its third inquiry hearing about the extent, regulation, and management of PFAS in Australia. This session focused on drinking water standards and the potential health and environmental impact of PFAS contamination.
Representatives included academic specialists and members of communities impacted by PFAS who urged for broader PFAS bans in Australia and more accountability from legislators, water corporations, and PFAS manufacturers and users. Participants noted the recognized health impacts of PFAS, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as developmental and neurological conditions (FPF reported and here).
Starting July 1, 2025, Australia is banning the import and use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) (FPF reported). During the hearing, Dr. Nicholas Chartres, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, called on the committee to instead ban PFAS as a class to prevent regrettable substitutions with chemicals that have less research, but similarly hazardous effects (FPF reported and here).
Dr. Stuart Khan, Professor and Head of the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney, agreed with the need for a broader PFAS ban. He pointed out the high estimated costs to install and operate water treatment facilities equipped to filter PFAS from drinking water (an estimated $50 billion over 20 years in the US). Dr. Khan advocated that these costs should not be passed on to the consumer, but rather polluters should be responsible for paying for remediation.
These issues are especially pressing as PFAS are directly affecting communities across Australia. Dr. Ian Wright, Associate Professor at Western Sydney University spoke about his research and the continued emergence of PFAS hotspots across Australia. While there has been a major focus on military bases and firefighting, he explained that many more locations are being affected and need to be examined.
During the hearing, the Blue Mountains community group STOP PFAS advocated for revised drinking water safety guidelines. In June 2024, the community learned that PFAS levels in their drinking water were multiple times higher than the allowed levels in the US. An investigation revealed that a petrol tanker with 40,000 liters of fuel crashed and burned in 1992, requiring firefighting foam to extinguish the blaze. The waterway, which feeds the Blue Mountains community, was located just 60 meters from the crash site and still had PFOS levels of 2,200 nanograms per liter and PFHxS levels of 980 nanograms per liter 32 years later in 2024.
Members of other communities in Australia spoke about the impact of PFAS on their environment and health. Mr. Alastair McLaren described how he ran a company that sold grass-fed, chemical-free beef until he discovered in 2018 that one of his farms was contaminated with PFAS, likely by the nearby Richmond Royal Australian Air Force base. He felt that he wasn’t taken seriously by the military after raising the issue and advocated for affected communities to be treated with more consideration.
With this community and expert feedback, the Senate committee is expected to present its final report on PFAS by August 5, 2025. New drinking water guidelines from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) are also expected in April 2025.
References
Parliament of Australia (January 22, 2025) “Select Committee of PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) – 22/01/2025.”
Read more
Dr Kerry Hebden (January 29, 2025) “Experts at Senate meeting call for extended PFAS ban across Australia.” Chemical Watch News & Insight
