PFAS Investigation &
Management Program
Home
PFAS.gov.au is the central Australian Government PFAS website. It provides easy access to information on PFAS for a wide range of interested audiences.
PFAS Investigation & Management Program
Defence is undertaking a national program to review, investigate and implement a comprehensive approach to manage the impacts of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on, and in the vicinity of, some of its bases around Australia.
From 2004, Defence commenced phasing out its use of legacy firefighting foam containing specific types of PFAS - perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) - as active ingredients. The legacy firefighting foam was used extensively worldwide, and within Australia, from about the 1970s by both civilian and military authorities due to its effectiveness in extinguishing liquid fuel fires. Defence now uses a more environmentally safe product. Furthermore, Defence has made changes to the way it uses firefighting foam to ensure that the risk of releasing the products into the environment is minimised.
Defence is taking a proactive approach to this matter and is working with Commonwealth, state and local authorities in the conduct of its investigations.
Defence is being open and transparent in making the verified test results available to the local community; and is sharing this information with relevant state/territory and local authorities, to assist with planning.
Defence continues to work towards the effective monitoring and management of PFAS contamination on and in the vicinity of affected sites across Australia.
PFAS Investigation and Remediation Snapshot
For a concise one page overview of the status of the national program, please download the PFAS Investigation and Remediation Snapshot for July 2022.
The snapshot contains key program information regarding community engagement, finance, site statistics and remedial actions.
