The UK government has unveiled its ‘first-ever’ national strategy to tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but critics argue the plan falls short of meaningful regulatory commitments.
The government says the new plan aims to coordinate action across government, industry and regulators to better understand where PFAS, often referred to as forever chemicals, are coming from, how they spread and how to reduce public and environmental exposure.
First produced at the end of the Second World War, PFAS can now be found in everything from furniture and cosmetics to food packaging, non-stick pans and clothing. They represent a group of around 12,000 different chemicals and are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their unbreakable chemical structure. Due to their widespread use, they can now be found in our water supplies, soil and food.
While PFAS have played an important role in supporting economic growth by being an essential component in critical manufacturing industries, there...