Environment committee to assess PFAS risks

UK: The UK government’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has announced a new enquiry into the risks and impacts of PFAS substances in the UK. 

Committee members will be considering whether enough is being done to understand fully the risks of PFAS in the UK and whether research institutions and the Environment Agency are equipped to monitor their impact.

The EAC will also examine the UK’s regulatory framework for the use and disposal of PFAS, and will be asking whether UK registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals is adequate. 

The inquiry will also compare the UK approach to other jurisdictions around the world, such as the EU and the USA.

“News coverage has exposed the level of problems with PFAS, and has shone a light that the UK’s regulatory approach is far less active than in many other jurisdictions,” said Environmental Audit Committee chair, Toby Perkins.

The committee is looking into this important topic to better understand the risks associated with PFAS, and to ask what, if anything, the government should do to strengthen the UK’s approach.”