The UK government has set out a framework for measuring the impact of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ - on the environment.
PFAS compounds have found widespread use in a range applications from non-stick coatings through to food packaging and firefighting foam, but concerns have been raised about their impact on the environment and human health due their persistent nature. “Forever chemicals represent one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time,” the government said.
The new framework, described as the UK’s “first ever plan to tackle forever chemicals,” encompasses a “coordinated action that will be undertaken by governments, businesses and regulators to understand where these chemicals are coming from, how they spread and how to reduce public and environmental exposure,” the government said.
The policy paper published by the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said there is growing evidence that widespread use and past management of PFAS have generated risks of harm to people and to the environment, including wildlife. "Their persistence means that some PFAS will remain in our environment for hundreds of years. While there is scope to continue to improve our understanding across all PFAS, this growing concern over potential health risks and irreversible environmental contamination means that action should not be unnecessarily delayed," it said.
The full extent of forever chemicals in England’s estuaries and coastal waters will be assessed. Improved testing and monitoring of sediment and vertebrates, for example, will give regulators a clearer picture of the risks these habitats face. These actions, the government says, will provide the evidence base on which to consider future regulatory action.
The development of the framework could also promote further innovation in alternatives for items such as water repellent clothing and footwear as evidence indicates that the methods for producing these items can emit high levels of PFAS into the environment.
While there is no evidence of PFAS being present in the drinking water supply, the government said that the new plan includes a consultation, to be launched later this year, on introducing a statutory limit for PFAS in England’s public supply regulations. “Should permitted levels be exceeded, this will make it easier for regulators to enforce against water companies breaking the rules,” the government said.
Other measures covered by the framework include: Tests on food packaging, such as pizza boxes, to trace the presence of PFAS and support future regulatory action; developing new guidance for regulators and industry to address legacy PFAS pollution on contaminated soil; completing work to consider restriction on the use of PFAS in firefighting foams; and establishing a website to raise the public’s awareness and understanding of PFAS.
Also on the agenda - reducing emissions from industrial sites through new guidance for regulators and site operators on how to improve their handling, monitoring and disposal of PFAS. The government said it will also improving the monitoring of PFAS in soils by supporting the British Geological Survey and initiating new sampling at five locations across England.
“The persistent nature of ‘forever chemicals’ means they pose a long-term challenge for not only our health, but that of the nation’s vital ecosystems,” said Emma Hardy Environment Minister. “Through our PFAS Plan, we will act decisively to reduce their harmful effects while transitioning to safer alternatives.”
Costas Velis, associate professor of waste and resource engineering at Imperial College London, said: “DEFRA’s focus of PFAS is a long-awaited and much needed initiative for the health of people and the environment. Vitally, this initiative would also be one step towards eliminating one aspect of plastic pollution.
Professor Mohamed Abdallah, chair in environmental chemistry at the University of Birmingham, said it was encouraging to see the UK is taking an active, holistic approach to regulating them and minimise the harmful effects before it’s too late, noting that a recent EU-commissioned report published last week evaluated that the cost of PFAS pollution in Europe could reach €1.7 trillion.
“Due to their large number (up to 15000 chemicals) and extensive diversity, it’s important that DEFRA adopts a grouping approach in their plan to tackle forever chemicals. This approach adopts the OECD definition of PFAS, which aligns with the EU, and is essential to assess and manage the risk of PFAS," Abdallah said.
Further reading:
- US takes decisive steps to tackle PFAS in the environment
- PFAS: Europe updates its proposals for restricting 'forever chemicals'
- PFAS: Gut microbes could protect against forever chemicals, say scientists
- PFAS: How 3D-printed monoliths remove a 'forever chemical' from water
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