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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Find out more about PFAS and our work to regulate PFAS in Australia.
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We have updated our Rolling Action Plan to include the evaluation of 522 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (Inventory).
Registrants will be required to give information about introductions of the 522 chemicals on the Inventory that are PFAS.
About PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of human-made (also known as synthetic) chemicals used to make products that are resistant to heat, stains, grease, and water. They can provide resistance to other chemicals or to abrasion and can act as dispersion, wetting or surface-treatment agents.
There are many different types of PFAS, including:
- perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)
- perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS).
In Australia, PFAS have been used in the past in a variety of industrial processes and in commercial and consumer products. PFOS, PFOA and related compounds were imported mainly for use as:
- mist suppressants in the metal plating industry
- hydraulic fluid in the aviation industry
- surface treatments in the photography industry
- fire-fighting foams.
Some imported articles such as textiles may have been treated with PFAS.
Our regulation of PFAS
We regulate the introduction (manufacture and importation) of PFAS associated with industrial use in Australia. This includes those that may break down to form perfluorinated substances such as PFOS and PFOA.
We also work together with prescribed bodies and other government agencies who are also responsible for regulating the use of chemicals across different industries and consumer products.
Regulatory compliance
Anyone who introduces (imports or manufactures) PFAS in Australia must comply with legal obligations under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 (IC Act). Before they can lawfully introduce these chemicals into Australia, they must:
register their business with us
categorise their chemical importation or manufacture (introduction)
comply with obligations and requirements associated with each introduction category
keep records, which the introducer must provide if we request them.
When applying for a certificate, you may also need to include additional information if your application is for a 'specified class of introduction', such as designated fluorinated chemicals.
International governance
We also enforce import and export controls on PFOS, PFOA and related chemicals listed under the Rotterdam Convention. These controls prohibit the introduction or export of these chemicals unless an importer or exporter obtains our approval. The regulation of the use, release and disposal of PFAS in Australia is mostly a state and territory responsibility.
We contribute to other international activities on PFAS through:
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee
the OECD Global Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFC) Group
our role in meeting the Australian Government's obligations under the Stockholm Convention
our work for the Rotterdam Convention.
Our work on PFAS
We evaluate the risks associated with the introduction and use of industrial chemicals in Australia, including PFAS.
Evaluation on PFAS initiated October 2025
We recently initiated an evaluation of 522 PFAS listed on the Inventory under section 74 of the IC Act. As part of this evaluation, the AICIS Executive Director requires all AICIS registrants who have introduced any of the 522 PFAS into Australia during 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025 (inclusive), to provide information on the introduction and use of these chemicals.
Risk assessments and recommendations
Between 2002 and 2008, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) published alerts on the identified risks of PFAS, including recommendations to manage these risks.
Between 2013 and 2019, we assessed the risks of a number of PFAS. This was part of our program of work to prioritise and accelerate the assessment of chemicals listed on our Inventory. These assessments focused on PFOS and PFOA and their direct and indirect precursors, which are other chemicals that break down in the environment to form PFOS and PFOA.
We also assessed the risks of related chemicals including shorter chain PFAS that may be used as replacements for PFOS and PFOA.
These assessments include risks to both human health and the environment, with details on:
exposure and hazard information
risk management recommendations.
See the following table for links to these assessments or you can find them on the Inventory by searching for the chemical’s name or CAS number.
Past PFAS assessments
| Chemical | Human health | Environment |
|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) and its direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSA) (>C8) and their direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSA) (C5-C7) and their direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Short chain perfluorocarboxylic acids and their direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid and its direct precursors | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of short chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) | Yes | Yes |
| Indirect precursors of perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSA) (C5-C7) | Yes | Yes |
| Direct precursors to perfluorocyclohexane sulfonate and related perfluoroalkylcyclohexane sulfonates | Yes | Yes |
| Perfluorinated derivatives of phosphonic and phosphinic acids | Yes | Yes |
| 6:2 Fluorotelomer siloxanes and silicones | Yes | Yes |
| 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate derivatives | Yes | Yes |
| Carbamic acid, [2-(sulfothio)ethyl]-, C-(.gamma.-.omega.-perfluoro-C6-9- alkyl) esters, monosodium salts | Yes | Yes |
Questions about PFAS
Notice to current and former AICIS registrants on 21 October 2025
We have sent everyone registered with us during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 AICIS registration years a notice. If you received the notice you are required to provide information on whether or not you introduced any of the 522 listed PFAS in that period.
For more information, see our public announcement and commonly asked questions and answers below.
You can search the web version of the list of 522 PFAS to check whether or not you have introduced the listed PFAS.
You still need to respond to tell us that you did not import or manufacture any of the PFAS chemicals listed on our Inventory on the during the specified period, 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025.
The easiest way is to complete the online electronic form which you can access using the unique ID link in your email notice. Once you have confirmed your details are correct, select ‘No’ as the response to the question about whether you introduced any of the 522 listed PFAS. You can then complete the declaration and submit your response. No further action is required.
Please note you do not need to complete the Excel form if you have not introduced any PFAS.
You need to provide the information required in the notice. The easiest way to do this is to complete the Excel form that was attached to your email notice and then submit it using the online electronic form.
The Excel form includes guidance on how to complete it. You can access the online form using the unique ID link in your email notice. Select ‘Yes’ in the online form to the question about whether you introduced any of the 522 listed PFAS and then upload the completed Excel form. Complete the rest of the online form and then submit it. You don’t need to follow up with us.
You are only required to provide information on the 522 listed PFAS. If the CAS numbers or names of the chemicals you import or manufacture are not in the list of 522 PFAS, then they are not likely to be any of the 522 PFAS.
However, you still need to respond to the notice to tell us you have not introduced any of the listed PFAS.
The easiest way is to complete the online electronic form which you can access using the unique ID link in your email notice. Once you have confirmed your details are correct, select ‘No’ as the response to the question about whether you introduced any of the 522 listed PFAS. You can then complete the declaration and submit your response. No further action is required.
Please note you do not need to complete the Excel form if you have not introduced any PFAS.
Introducers should review their records of industrial chemicals that they introduced between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025 (inclusive) and compare them to the list of 522 PFAS.
If you are the registered introducer and don’t know what chemicals you introduced, you should contact your supplier or person who does know and ask for the CAS numbers and/or CAS names of the PFAS. But if you’re unable to get the details, for example because it is proprietary information, you still need to respond to the notice.
You can do this in the online electronic form, which you can access using the unique ID link in your email notice. Select ‘Not sure’ in the online form to the question on whether you introduced any of the 522 listed PFAS. You must then provide a reason for not knowing this information. Complete the rest of the form then submit it. You don’t need to follow up with us. We may contact you if we need more information.
Everyone who received the notice must respond. What information you need to provide depends on what the article is and its intended purpose.
If you introduce an article that intentionally releases any of the 522 listed PFAS during use, then you must provide us with the information outlined in the notice. Some examples of articles designed to release an industrial chemical include ballpoint pens, packaged cosmetic products, and bottles containing cleaning fluid. See 'What do I do if I have introduced one or more PFAS on the list?' for information on how to do this.
You are not required to provide us information on the importation and manufacture of excluded introductions. This includes articles that are not designed to release PFAS such as furniture, frying pans and clothing. However, if you only introduce these types of articles, you still need to respond to tell us that you do not introduce PFAS. See 'I didn't introduce PFAS or PFAS-containing products. What do I need to do?' for information on how to respond.
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