Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 10 Apr 2025 Parliament page
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of about 14,000 synthetic chemicals used in a wide variety of everyday products. For example, PFAS are used to keep food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is … Read more
22 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
2 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 8 events
16 Jul
2026
Correspondence
8 Jul
2026
Correspondence
6 Jul
2026
Report published
23 Apr
2026
Report published
4 Feb
2026
Oral evidence
10 Dec
2025
Oral evidence
10 Sep
2025
Oral evidence
25 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
4 Feb 2026
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Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Liz Parkes MBE · Environment Agency Marc Casale · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Matt Womersley · Environment Agency Richard Daniels · Health and Safety Executive
10 Dec 2025
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Environmental Audit Committee
David Henderson · Water UK Dr David Megson · Manchester Metropolitan University Professor Alan Boobis OBE · Imperial College London Professor Elsie Sunderland · Harvard University Professor Martyn Kirk · Australian National University Vicky Robinson · The Agricultural Industries Confederation
10 Sep 2025
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Dr Andrew Schwarz · Fluorok Dr Andy Joel · F2 Chemicals Ltd Duncan Sanders · ATG Group Professor Luisa Orsini · University of Birmingham Stephanie Metzger · Royal Society of Chemistry Stuart Ede · AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd.
25 Jun 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Andrew Spence · Britannia Fire Ltd Dr Joanna Cloy · Fidra Dr Nissanka Rajapakse · Johnson Matthey Linsey Cottrell · The Conflict and Environment Observatory Mark Hirlam · Delipac Professor Michael Depledge CBE · European Centre for Environment and Human Health
Title HC No. Published Items Response
9th Report - Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfl… HC 852 23 Apr 2026 38 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
Clear
8 Recommendation Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
The Government should reform UK REACH by March 2027 to avoid further delay in restricting...
The Government should reform UK REACH by March 2027 to avoid further delay in restricting PFAS. The Government should set targets at half the statutory maximum timescales and ensure that the Health and Safety Executive has the resources to meet … Read more
Government Response
The government shares the ambition to reform UK REACH for faster restrictions, stating they will align with EU decisions, but commits to introducing reforms, including necessary legislation, by December 2028, which is later than the recommended March 2027.
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10 Recommendation Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
The Government should commission the Health and Safety Executive under UK REACH to bring forward...
The Government should commission the Health and Safety Executive under UK REACH to bring forward restrictions on PFAS in non-essential consumer products (e.g. food packaging, cookware and school uniforms) without delay and begin a phased restriction from 2027. (Recommendation, Paragraph … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees action is needed but states current UK REACH reforms will take time, and they will consider regulatory and non-regulatory options, while monitoring EU developments before committing to specific restrictions or timelines.
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21 Recommendation Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
The Government should set limits on the levels and types of PFAS permitted in food,...
The Government should set limits on the levels and types of PFAS permitted in food, giving producers, retailers, and regulators a consistent basis for protecting public health. This should include establishing and monitoring 45 limits on PFAS entering the food … Read more
Government Response
The government states that risk management options, including setting maximum PFAS levels in food, will be considered by the FSA after the Committee on Toxicity's review. The FSA is strengthening testing capabilities and gathering data.
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28 Recommendation Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
The Government must set out in its response a timeline to divert PFAS waste from...
The Government must set out in its response a timeline to divert PFAS waste from landfill towards safer treatment or destruction technologies to manage increasing volumes of PFAS waste without causing further environmental contamination. (Recommendation, Paragraph 95) Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the importance of effective PFAS waste management and is conducting a review of landfill policies, considering POPs and PFAS, and gathering information for future interventions. They state any transition from landfill will be phased and evidence-led, but do not provide a timeline.
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29 Conclusion Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
Remediating PFAS contamination in the environment is expensive and technically complex.
Remediating PFAS contamination in the environment is expensive and technically complex. The current regulatory approach that permits continued use of PFAS until harm is proven means that these substances can legally continue to accumulate in the environment, steadily increasing the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's focus on the Polluter Pays Principle and welcomes recommendations on funding and liability for PFAS, agreeing they warrant serious consideration for a longer-term approach. They are considering how existing support mechanisms like the Land Remediation Pathfinder Scheme (announced for Autumn 2025) might help and will continue to explore opportunities to strengthen the principle's application.
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30 Conclusion Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
The Government has not applied the polluter pays principle adequately to deter future PFAS emissions...
The Government has not applied the polluter pays principle adequately to deter future PFAS emissions nor has it allocated sufficient government funding to tackle the remediation of PFAS in the environment where liable parties cannot be identified. (Conclusion, Paragraph 107) Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of the Polluter Pays Principle and the committee's recommendations on PFAS remediation funding and liability, agreeing they warrant serious consideration for a longer-term approach. They are considering existing support mechanisms, including the Land Remediation Pathfinder Scheme (announced for Autumn 2025), and will continue to explore strengthening the principle's application.
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32 Recommendation Deferred
9th Report - Addressing the risks …
Existing PFAS contamination in the environment must be addressed alongside prevention.
Existing PFAS contamination in the environment must be addressed alongside prevention. Even with strong restrictions on future PFAS use, the UK already faces significant legacy contamination. Without action now, this legacy burden will pose long-term risks to public health and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to address PFAS contamination and commits to exploring further investment opportunities with UKRI, aiming to allocate funding for remediation projects from 2027/28.
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Government Response AI assessment · 38 of 22 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 7
Not Addressed 8
Rejected 1
Total 22 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
16 Jul 2026 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating the Government's response to the committees report on Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), 16 July
Parliament page
8 Jul 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating the Government's response to the committees report on Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), 8 July
Parliament page