New ABS data shows most Aussies have ‘forever chemicals’ in their bodies: should you be worried?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has published data on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human bodies for the first time. They report that PFAS was found in the blood of nearly nine out of ten Australians aged 12 years and over.
Professor Maryn Kirk, leader of the PFAS Health Study at ANU, says he isn’t surprised by this result.
“These substances have been extensively used in anti-stain and anti-stick treatments since the 1970s. Another important use was in firefighting foams, and was particularly useful for high temperature fires and firefighting at airports,” says Kirk.
These carbon-fluorine rich chemicals enter our bodies when we eat food that has been prepared or packaged in PFAS containing cookware, or drink water that has been contaminated by PFAS, often as a result of run-off from firefighting foams.
To a lesser extent they can enter our bodies through our skin from clothes or furniture that use PFAS to help make them water or stain resistant.
“The key thing is they are extremely stable chemicals. This means they degrade very slowly in the environment and also in the human body,” explains Kirk. “They are also excreted very slowly and can bioaccumulate in humans and animals.”
What did the ABS find?
As part of the National Health Measures Survey 2022-24, the ABS examined blood samples from approximately 7,000 Australians aged 12 years and older. They found three of the most common PFAS substances (PFOS, PFHxS and PFOA) were detected in nearly nine out of ten of the people. However, these levels are lower than those recorded in other countries.
The ABS also found that mean PFAS levels were generally higher for older people compared to younger people, reflecting high levels of exposure in the past prior to 2000. Males generally had higher levels than females, which reflects excretion of PFAS from their bodies through menstruation.
Why is this information important?
Many people are concerned about potential health impacts linked to PFAS exposure. In particular, those who have been exposed to PFAS through ground water contamination where they live, or those who worked with PFAS containing products.
“We do find individuals who live in contaminated areas want to know the level of PFAS in their blood. This new data gives them some comparison information on what is considered normal,” says Kirk.
Kirk explains that he has seen significant psychological distress associated with increased exposure and PFAS blood levels. People are worried they will become sick in the future, or experience anguish due to the financial implications over property value or business losses dues to PFAS contamination.
Elevated PFAS levels are associated with higher cholesterol levels, however other physical health outcomes are less certain.
“It’s difficult to understand the contribution of PFAS to disease in humans. Yes, they bind to our blood and can bioaccumulate, but there are mixed findings in many epidemiological studies,” says Kirk.
Some studies have found small to modest increased in prostate, laryngeal, and lung cancers, as well as kidney and coronary heart disease associated with elevated PFAS levels. However, Kirk says these results aren’t always consistent.
Should I be worried?
Kirk says the short answer is no. We all have background levels of PFAS in our blood, but these low levels are unlikely to cause physical harm.
“There's no need to go and get tested. There's no need to change how we do things,” Kirk assures us.
“PFAS has been used in household products for so long that it’s simply beyond an individual's ability to change their exposure. The exception being for those who work in high risk occupations, or live in an area which is a known zone of contamination.”
The good news is that PFAS has been progressively phased out of use since the early 2000s. And this is reflected by a decrease in PFAS recorded in our blood.
“The mean levels of PFAS in blood have decreased tenfold since the early 2000’s. So it’s quite amazing how much it's declined over time,” says Kirk of historical samples taken from the Busselton Health Study and pooled discarded pathology samples.
While PFAS is a problem that won’t go away any time soon, levels in Australians are consistently decreasing. Adding to this good news is of 1 July 2025 the Australian Government is banning the manufacturing, importing or exporting of PFAS substances.