'Asbestos of the 21st century': Calls to ban chemical Aussies are exposed to every day

Thursday, 20 November 2025 13:04

The "forever chemicals", are virtually impossible to avoid and are found in most Australian homes.

Senator Lidia Thorpe has called for a nationwide ban on "forever chemicals" used in everyday products like non-stick pans and cosmetic and personal products.

A 12-month Senate inquiry on the extent and management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a group of more than 4700 synthetic chemicals effective at resisting heat, stains, grease and water — has handed down its final report.

It found Australia's health advice lags behind the international consensus and minimises the risk it can have on affected communities.

PFAS are almost impossible to avoid and are found in many Australian homes.

The report acknowledged the difficulties of establishing a conclusive link between PFAS and the health issues, but noted that the federal government needed to strengthen its precautionary stance as science continues to investigate.

The inquiry handed down 47 recommendations, including a national monitoring program, a website with a map of PFAS hotspots, subsidised PFAS blood testing and cancer screening and reviewing the current health guidance.

PFAS can enter the environment, food and drinking water, with growing research linking them to health issues ranging from mildly elevated blood cholesterol to reduced kidney function.

It is dubbed "forever chemicals" as they are virtually indestructible and unable to break down naturally.

PFAS are almost impossible to avoid and are found in many Australian homes, with the chemical present in firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, cosmetics and personal care products, medical devices, pharmaceutical products, fast food packaging, microwave popcorn bags, pesticides, paint, and stain-resistant clothing.

There have been increasing concerns around the long-term effects of these chemicals after they were detected in Sydney's drinking water.

Thorpe, who chaired the Senate inquiry, called for a total ban on all PFAS chemicals.

"For too long, PFAS chemicals have poisoned our land, water, and communities, while governments looked the other way," she said.

"The science is clear: PFAS are toxic and linked to immune, reproductive and cancer risks.

"People are getting sick, but the problem is still being minimised — that has to stop.

"These chemicals are the asbestos of the 21st century."

Monash University's chemistry professor Rico Tabor also called for a PFAS ban, adding that the potential health issues are "not a risk we should be prepared to take".

"We just don't have long-term and sufficient enough studies to truly understand the range of impacts, but we know that acute and chronic exposure to these chemicals is problematic and is implicated with a number of serious health concerns," he said.

"In the face of international evidence, we have been slow... We have been slow off the mark, and that means we've got catching up to do in order to put the right legislation protections in place."

Tabor added that the federal government needed to support chemists to find an alternative chemical that works identically to PFS.

In the final report, Labor Senators acknowledged most people likely have PFAS in their bodies and the concerns about health impacts were justified.

But they were cautious about policy interventions due to a lack of technical expertise and the ongoing research.

9news.com.au has contacted the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for further comment.

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