10 Deferred

The Government should commission the Health and Safety Executive under UK REACH to bring forward...

Recommendation
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 47)
Government Response Summary
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.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government Deferred
Tackling PFAS in non-essential consumer products is an area where action could potentially deliver meaningful benefits for both public health and the environment. Reducing avoidable uses of PFAS, particularly where safe and effective alternatives are available, is a key objective of the PFAS Plan and will be an important part of our wider efforts to address the legacy and future risks posed by these persistent chemicals. We are working across government to explore the most effective routes to address these risks. This includes work to consider how best to manage chemicals in consumer products more broadly, including PFAS. This will include a consideration of regulatory and non-regulatory options for certain products, including options to promote transparency and choice for consumers, while supporting industry to move away from PFAS, using all appropriate levers to incentivise safer alternatives wherever possible. As the Committee has acknowledged, the current UK REACH framework does not always facilitate new restrictions to be introduced rapidly, and reforms to improve these processes will take time to implement. That is why our focus is on delivering UK REACH reform as quickly as possible. The new approach should enable us to draw more from EU regulatory decisions to inform and accelerate GB decision-making. We await to see how the final EU REACH universal PFAS restriction applies to non-essential consumer products. In developing policy, we wish to carefully consider the benefits of restrictions for protecting human health and the environment against wider impacts, including costs to consumers and businesses, while also considering the safety and performance of alternatives. We are continuing to monitor developments in the EU to ensure future UK action is evidence-based, proportionate and effective.