Manufacturer 3M warned over chemicals at quarry

The Advertiser

30-05-2025

The chemical conglomerate behind Post-it notes and Scotch-Brite has been handed a yellow card over "significant contamination" from historic toxic chemicals found in a quarry it leased.
PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says.
The authority has for the first time issued a clean-up notice and took regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm.
"This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," Operations Director David Gathercole said.
"Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination."
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease.
They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly.
Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS substances to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water.
The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
The authority said while "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site.
However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park.
They were considered to be above the national drinking guidelines.
A sign has been erected warning park users to not drink river water. But recreational use including swimming remains safe, the authority said.
Under the clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution.
The company has been contacted for a comment.
The chemical conglomerate behind Post-it notes and Scotch-Brite has been handed a yellow card over "significant contamination" from historic toxic chemicals found in a quarry it leased.
PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says.
The authority has for the first time issued a clean-up notice and took regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm.
"This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," Operations Director David Gathercole said.
"Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination."
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease.
They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly.
Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS substances to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water.
The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
The authority said while "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site.
However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park.
They were considered to be above the national drinking guidelines.
A sign has been erected warning park users to not drink river water. But recreational use including swimming remains safe, the authority said.
Under the clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution.
The company has been contacted for a comment.
The chemical conglomerate behind Post-it notes and Scotch-Brite has been handed a yellow card over "significant contamination" from historic toxic chemicals found in a quarry it leased.
PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says.
The authority has for the first time issued a clean-up notice and took regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm.
"This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," Operations Director David Gathercole said.
"Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination."
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease.
They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly.
Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS substances to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water.
The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
The authority said while "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site.
However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park.
They were considered to be above the national drinking guidelines.
A sign has been erected warning park users to not drink river water. But recreational use including swimming remains safe, the authority said.
Under the clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution.
The company has been contacted for a comment.
The chemical conglomerate behind Post-it notes and Scotch-Brite has been handed a yellow card over "significant contamination" from historic toxic chemicals found in a quarry it leased.
PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says.
The authority has for the first time issued a clean-up notice and took regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm.
"This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," Operations Director David Gathercole said.
"Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination."
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease.
They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly.
Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS substances to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water.
The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
The authority said while "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site.
However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park.
They were considered to be above the national drinking guidelines.
A sign has been erected warning park users to not drink river water. But recreational use including swimming remains safe, the authority said.
Under the clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution.
The company has been contacted for a comment.