The new European Chemicals Strategy announces many ambitious plans and puts comprehensive PFAS policy front and centre. Recognising the widespread contamination of EU soils and waters and the growing number of associated health impacts, the commission commit to banning all PFAS, allowing their use only where they are proven to be irreplaceable and essential to society. But the big question on Fidra’s mind right now is ‘will the UK be equally ambitious?’.
Per- or poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 4,700 industrial chemicals. Despite being widely used in everything from carpets to cosmetics, cookware and food packaging, the evidence is now clear, PFAS are damaging our environment and impacting our health.
The EU’s plan for PFAS
There’s a lot to be excited about right now for those of us focussed on preventing chemical pollution. The EU’s new Chemicals Strategy sets out an impressive list of commitments aimed at achieving a toxic-free environment. They highlight key goals that Fidra have long-supported, such as a clean circular economy, transparency in chemical content and swift action to ban many of the most harmful chemicals in consumer products. And they’ve achieved this without overlooking the all-important need for funding and investment. If effectively put into practice, in full and without delay, these commitments stand to make a lasting change to our global environment.
Importantly, the strategy singles out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as chemicals that require immediate attention. Referring to the widespread contamination of European soil and water (including drinking water), the number of people this impacts, and the ‘full spectrum of illnesses’ that PFAS has been linked to, the commission commits to a blanket ban on the use of PFAS for all purposes not deemed critical to society.
Echoing the words of the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Rebecca Pow MP, earlier this year, the EU strategy also reinforces the need to address PFAS through group-based legislation. Our current one-by-one approach, continually replacing one known harmful chemical for its next closest neighbour, is not working. Regrettable substitution has been demonstrated time and again with ineffective PFAS legislation, something the commission is no longer willing to accept.
Further plans for PFAS include a commitment to encourage global participation in PFAS policy, financial support mechanisms to encourage research and innovation and greater investment in developing remediation methodologies.
Meanwhile in the UK…
Fidra have been working closely with UK retailers and industry, encouraging voluntary actions that will set the stage for our own comprehensive PFAS legislation. We’ve already seen one major UK supermarket commit to removing PFAS from their food packaging, suppliers getting their products tested and companies investing in innovative alternatives. Now is the time to implement stringent UK policy, supporting companies that are already taking action and ensuring everyone plays their part in our greener future. With this in mind, we reiterate our call for immediate action that bans the use of PFAS in paper and board food packaging. This is a key source of environmental PFAS pollution and human exposure, and is a sector that is currently seeing rapid market growth.
Beyond this, the EU has set a clear precedent. If we are to prevent the ongoing toxification of our natural environment by this persistent and undermanaged chemical group, the UK must now commit to equally ambitious goals, tackling all non-essential PFAS use within their own developing chemicals strategy. And, having previously referred to the strategy in response to parliamentary questions on PFAS legislation [Questions by Matthew Offord MP, 17/02/20, Ref 13973], we’re hopeful they will.
Fidra’s project lead, Dr Kerry Dinsmore, says
“We have an opportunity right now for the UK to take a leading role in chemical management, setting a global standard in public health and environmental protection for others to follow. With industry already taking action on PFAS-use in food packaging, now is the time to support and build on this momentum with clear policy. PFAS has no place in sustainable food packaging. And looking forward, we want to see our own chemicals strategy going beyond the EU, laying out a clear timescale for a PFAS-free future.”
Download Fidra’s recommendations for UK policy by clicking on the link below.
Tags: Chemical Pollution