Non-polymer PFAS can build up in blood protein of animals, and is not always removed quickly. This means that predators eating PFAS-contaminated food will have higher levels in their bloodstream, and concentrations can increase up the food chain. Studies suggest that build up of PFAS is similar to those of other Persistent Organic Pollutants such as DDT.PFAS are estimated to be settling in arctic regions at rates of tens to hundreds of kilograms per year (25-850kg per year), depending on the specific PFAS chemical in question. Certain PFAS are released as gases to the environment and are blown a long way by wind and air currents in the atmosphere,. These gas PFAS will over time degrade to more persistent chemicals like PFOS and PFOA. This may be one reason why PFAS of environmental concern have been found in remote regions such as the Arctic as well as near PFAS production sitesPFAS including PFOS and PFOA have been found in air samples around Europe. The chemicals are found in small quantities, but appear in almost all samples tested. PFAS enters the atmosphere both from factories and the air inside our homes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554424 PFAS is found in treated waste water from industrial and domestic sources and has been found in both rivers and groundwater. Conventional drinking water processes will not remove PFAS.PFAS-coated clothes that are thrown away will often end up either incinerated or in landfill. Unless incinerated at very high temperatures (>1000oC), fluorinated polymers could release more harmful PFAS during burning. PFAS of environmental concern have also been found in landfill leachate. Non-polymer PFAS are used in the production of fluorinated polymers. The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes generally releases these PFASs into the environment, both by air and water emissions. They are very hard to remove during water treatment. Workers in textiles factories are some of the population most exposed to these potentially harmful chemicals. Small quantities of PFAS will be removed during wash and wear of products containing PFAS. This includes fluorinated polymers used on stain-resistant coatings, and non-polymers that remain on clothes after production (Lassen et al. 2015).Most UK waste still ends up in landfill, and this includes PFAS-containing products. Studies have shown that the liquid coming from landfills (known as leachate) often contain non-polymer PFAS chemicals. In the USA the total quantities were estimated at 563-638 kg in 2013. To properly break down PFAS chemicals high temperature (1000oC or more) incineration is recommended. Incineration of municipal waste does not necessarily reach these temperatures (min temp. required is 850oC), and the incomplete breakdown could release non-polymer PFAS.Wash and wear of clothing that contains PFAS-based stain-resistant or water repellent finishes release PFAS to the environment. Coatings are thought to lose effectiveness after 20-30 washes. This can include non-polymer PFAS, remnant from production or as a break-down product of side-chain polymers (Lassen et al. 2015). The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes releases PFAS into the environment, both by air and water emissions. PFAS are very hard to remove during water treatment. Industrial emissions are estimated to be the biggest source of these chemicals to the environment.
22nd April 2025

The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee launches an inquiry into PFAS

 

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry to investigate the risks posed by PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ and assess how effectively the UK’s regulatory system is managing them. 

The EAC’s role is to examine how well government departments and public bodies are protecting the environment and holds them accountable for their performance against their targets​[1]​. The EAC’s investigation into PFAS will take a cross-departmental approach to holistically review whether the government is doing enough to fully understand and address the risks of these ‘forever chemicals’.

PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’  are a group of over 10,000 industrial substances ​[2], [3]​ widely used in society for their water, heat, and stain-resistant properties but come with hidden costs. PFAS don’t break down naturally — instead, they build up in the environment and in our bodies over time, where they can remain for decades, posing long-term risks to our health and the planet​[4].

The inquiry will include exploring whether the UK’s system for registering, evaluating, authorising, and restricting chemicals (UK REACH) is fit for purpose. It will also examine whether current regulations on the use and disposal of PFAS are strong enough, and whether research institutions and the Environment Agency (EA) have the tools and resources they need to properly monitor PFAS pollution and its impacts. The EAC will also look at how the UK’s approach compares against other countries, including the European Union and the United States.  

This inquiry couldn’t be more urgent as the UK is falling worryingly behind in the fight against harmful chemicals. Since leaving the EU in 2021, the UK has not introduced a single new restriction on harmful substances, while the EU has implemented ten. The gap is even more stark when it comes to PFAS: the EU is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to impose a universal restriction on over 10,000 PFAS ​[5]​, while the UK has proposed one sector-specific restriction on PFAS in firefighting foams ​[6]​. 

 

PFAS pollution is in the UK 

PFAS pollution is widespread across the UK, with over 1,500 heavily contaminated sites and more than 800 suspected sites identified throughout the country​[7], [8]​. Some of the highest PFAS concentrations ever recorded in UK groundwater were found in the small town of Bentham, North Yorkshire — a staggering 1,199,000 ng/l, following contamination from a local firefighting foam production site​[9]​. To put that in perspective, that’s almost 12,000 times higher than the guideline drinking water limit for England and Wales, which stands at 100 ng/l​[10]​. PFAS have also been detected in UK drinking water​[11]​, food supplies​[12]​, river networks​[13] [14]​, wildlife​[15]​ and even people ​[16]​.  

Figure 3: Explore the map of Europe’s PFAS contamination, available via ‘The Forever pollution’ website: ‘Forever pollution’: Explore the map of Europe’s PFAS contamination (lemonde.fr). © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors

This growing crisis makes the Environmental Audit Committee’s new inquiry not just timely, but essential. It’s a critical step toward encouraging stronger action on PFAS — and pushing the UK to  offer true protection for people, wildlife, and the wider environment from these persistent forever chemicals. 

 

Next steps for the inquiry

The Environmental Audit Committee is inviting written submissions from anyone who has evidence, expertise, or experience with PFAS pollution. The deadline for submissions is 5:00 PM on Monday, 26 May 2025. 

Find out how to submit your evidence here:  Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – Committees – UK Parliament  

References

​​[1] “Environmental Audit Committee – Membership – Committees – UK Parliament.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/62/environmental-audit-committee/membership 

​[2] OECD, “Reconciling Terminology of the Universe of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Recommendations and Practical Guidance Series on Risk Management No.61 JT03479350 OFDE,” 2021. 

​[3] OECD, “About PFASs – OECD Portal on Per and Poly Fluorinated Chemicals.” Accessed: Jun. 12, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/portal-perfluorinated-chemicals/aboutpfass/ 

​[4] “About PFAS.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.pfasfree.org.uk/about-pfas 

​[5] ECHA, “ANNEX XV RESTRICTION REPORT PROPOSAL FOR A RESTRICTION SUBSTANCE NAME(S): Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs),” 2023. 

​[6] “UK REACH – PFAS firefighting foams – Call for evidence – Health and Safety Executive – Citizen Space.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/crd-reach/pfas-fire-fighting-foams/ 

​[7] Le Monde et al, “‘Forever pollution’: Explore the map of Europe’s PFAS contamination.” Accessed: Jun. 11, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2023/02/23/forever-pollution-explore-the-map-of-europe-s-pfas-contamination_6016905_8.html 

​[8] “MAPPED: The UK sites where PFAS has been detected.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.endsreport.com/article/1814479/mapped-uk-sites-pfas-detected 

​[9] Pippa Neill and Tess Colley, “God’s own Dark Waters? Exposing how a Yorkshire town became the most PFAS polluted place in the UK – and how the regulator let it happen,” ENDS Report. Accessed: Jun. 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.endsreport.com/article/1873849/gods-own-dark-waters-exposing-yorkshire-town-became-pfas-polluted-place-uk-regulator-let-happen 

​[10] “PFAS and Forever Chemicals – Drinking Water Inspectorate.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.dwi.gov.uk/pfas-and-forever-chemicals/ 

​[11] Royal Society of Chemistry, “Evidence report: PFAS in UK waters – presence, detection, and remediation,” 2023. 

​[12] PAN UK, “‘Forever chemicals’ found in UK food – Pesticide Action Network UK.” Accessed: Jun. 12, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.pan-uk.org/pfas-forever-chemicals/ 

​[13] The Rivers Trust, “State of our Rivers Report 2024 | The Rivers Trust.” Accessed: Jul. 29, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://theriverstrust.org/rivers-report-2024 

​[14] “Chemical pollution in our rivers | The Rivers Trust.” Accessed: Apr. 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://theriverstrust.org/key-issues/chemical-pollution 

​[15] E. O’Rourke et al., “Anthropogenic Drivers of Variation in Concentrations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Otters (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales,” Environ Sci Technol, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 1675–1687, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05410. 

​[16] Wildlife and Countryside Link, “The Sleeping giant of pollution: why the UK must wake up to the impacts of toxic chemicals,” 2024. 

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