UK government shies away from PFAS ban

There will be no hard restrictions on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in UK manufacturing and trade despite parliamentary pleas that protective measures are moving “too slow”.

In its response to a damning report of PFAS risk in the UK by the Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) , the government will instead take a cautious approach to phasing out “forever chemicals”, saying it will continue to follow the proposals laid out in its PFAS plan.

Although there is mounting evidence linking PFAS exposure to cancer and other health problems in humans, as well as air and soil pollution, the government is moving toward tighter monitoring of PFAS levels in the environment rather than full restrictions.

PFAS bans are toughening up in Europe, with the EU spearheading a steady ban on a range of chemicals for its member states, having already introduced restrictions on PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) in 2006 and on PFAS in fire-fighting foam last year.

The government’s PFAS plan looks to develop PFAS management in non-essential items, including in cookware and school uniforms, through wider sampling practices of different chemicals and their specific impact on human health.

Quicker reaction

Even with the introduction of a plan, the EAC said that the government’s efforts did not go far enough, being “short on decisive actions” to prevent the proliferation of PFAS.

The EAC set out 20 recommendations, calling for the government to invest in accelerating PFAS restrictions by providing incentives for industry to move to safer alternatives, and to reform the UK REACH framework, which governs chemical substances manufactured or imported into the UK.

While it acknowledged that the PFAS plan was a step in the right direction, the EAC’s research, which includes 121 written pieces of evidence covering toxicology, and environmental health data, concluded that more rigorous and restrictions should be implemented for PFAS in non-essential products as early as 2027.

EU alignment

The UK has never made any hardline bans on PFAS, although it has established standards for the chemicals in drinking water for water companies, specifying a guideline value of 0.1 μg/L for the sum of 48 named PFAS, which is equivalent to 0.1 ppb.

Where the government response aligns with the conclusions of the EAC is in further collaboration with the EU. The recommendations ask for the government to align its framework with the EU REACH framework, which it intends to do “unless there are compelling reasons to diverge”.

Much of the UK’s reluctance to PFAS restrictions relates to specifying which items and products need PFAS chemicals, including PPE and medical equipment, and whether there are strong alternatives that can match the scale of PFAS demand.

Work in the alternative space is growing rapidly across the world, including recent research from the University of Bristol on non-fluorinated alternatives containing non-toxic carbon and hydrogen.

The government has said that it is “committed” to introducing reforms and necessary legislation by December 2028.