Committee publication · Special Report · 6 July 2026 · HC 519
2nd Special Report - Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Government Response
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Summary
This is the UK Government's formal response to the Environmental Audit Committee's April 2026 report on PFAS risks. The government acknowledges PFAS as a pressing environmental challenge and sets out its cross-departmental approach centred on the PFAS Plan (published February 2026), committing to action on source prevention, regulatory reform, human health research, monitoring, and waste management—whilst deferring key decisions pending EU REACH finalisation.
Key findings
- Government commits to UK REACH reform by December 2028 to enable faster restrictions and closer EU alignment, drawing from EU regulatory decisions unless compelling reasons to diverge exist
- UKHSA developing human biomonitoring programme to establish background PFAS levels; Committee on Toxicity undertaking extensive PFAS evidence review; preliminary biomonitoring results expected later 2026
- Environment Agency operating comprehensive PFAS monitoring showing ~30% decline in legacy PFAS in English rivers since 2016; monitoring data inform risk-based regulatory prioritisation and enforcement
- Government supporting international PFAS collaboration through Stockholm Convention, OECD work, Global Framework on Chemicals, and EU Partnership for Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC)
- Government rejects or defers several Committee recommendations: essential-use approach pending EU outcome; pre-market approval for new PFAS deemed significant framework change; mandatory supply-chain disclosure and interim consumer product limits to be explored via evidence-based policy development rather than fixed timelines
Government position
The government partially accepts the Committee's recommendations. It accepts the need for precautionary action grounded in environmental principles, UK REACH reform, and continued international collaboration. However, it defers key decisions on essential-use approaches, PFAS group-based regulation, pre-market approval, interim product limits, and mandatory supply-chain disclosure pending final EU REACH decisions and further evidence gathering. On resources for the Environment Agency, the government states EA's needs will be assessed through established business planning processes but does not commit specific funding. On PFAS waste diversion from landfill, it indicates a policy review is underway but does not set a timeline. The tone is broadly collaborative but cautious, emphasising proportionality, evidence-based action, and alignment with EU approaches rather than independent UK leadership.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Environmental Audit Committee, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Environment Agency (EA), Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
Notable line
“We await to see the final EU REACH universal PFAS restriction.”
Key Quotes
“PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals', represent one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, and there is growing evidence that their widespread use has generated risks to both people and the environment, which will likely remain for hundreds of years.”
“We recognise that our supply chains, ecosystems and markets are deeply interconnected with those of the EU, and many of the challenges we face, including on issues such as PFAS are better tackled together.”
“We intend to draw from EU regulatory decisions unless there are compelling reasons to diverge. In this context, EU regulatory decisions include final EU REACH restrictions. In so doing, we will retain full control over our regulatory decisions.”
“PFAS blood testing does not predict future health problems and can sometimes create unnecessary concern. For these reasons, PFAS biomonitoring is not currently recommended through the NHS or private blood tests.”
“Monitoring shows statistically robust declines in legacy PFAS such as PFOS and PFOA in English rivers (around 30% since 2016), demonstrating that regulatory controls are delivering measurable improvements.”
“We are committed to introducing reforms, including any necessary legislation, by December”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗