The UK government has launched a new plan outlining the action it will take to manage the risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’
The new policy paper published by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), PFAS Plan: building a safer future together, identifies key steps the government will take to understand, manage, and reduce the risk of ongoing exposure to PFAS through a science-backed and evidence-led approach.
Known for their resistance to heat, water, and oil, PFAS are widely used across industry, such as firefighting foams, medical devices, textiles, and packaging. However, as the policy paper suggests, “their widespread use and past management have generated risks of harm to people and to the environment, including wildlife”.
The growing concern over “risks and irreversible environmental contamination means that action should not be unnecessarily delayed,” Defra said.
The PFAS Plan is structured around three main pillars:
- Understanding PFAS sources
This includes identifying and understanding PFAS use in society, its prevalence in the environment, and the risks this presents.
- Tackling PFAS pathways
This includes accounting for the movement of PFAS around society and the environment, taking action to manage the risks of PFAS across their full life cycle, and supporting the transition to safer alternatives while “recognising where critical PFAS uses are still currently needed”.
- Reducing ongoing exposure to PFAS
This includes managing ongoing exposure to harmful PFAS to protect people and the environment, including from legacy pollution.
“Understanding PFAS helps deliver effective and well-prioritised interventions that, in the longer term, contribute together to reducing PFAS risks across the environment and society. This will, in turn, reduce our reliance on costly preventative measures at the point of exposure,” the paper states.
The government could consider addressing chemical PFAS use through regulatory action, via the UK’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) regulatory regime, with a potential UK REACH restriction on PFAS in firefighting foams undergoing consultation until 18 February 2026. It follows a report published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on PFAS use in firefighting foams in Great Britain:
“In accordance with the UK REACH restriction process, once HSE has published its final opinion on PFAS in firefighting foams, the relevant UK government minister, with the consent of devolved governments, will make a decision on implementing the proposal.”
HSE’s final opinion is expected in 2026, and Defra’s decision on the restriction is expected in 2027. The full proposal and consultation can be accessed here.
As part of the proposal to reduce ongoing exposure, legacy PFAS pollution will need to be addressed, which includes “land contaminated from fire-fighting foams and from emissions from industry and landfill”.
Regulators can take a risk-based approach to “assess and act” at sites of greatest concern, with the Environment Agency’s risk screening project one such example to help inform the prioritisation of site investigations. Technical guidance for regulators and industry will also be developed to help them deal with land affected by legacy PFAS contamination.
The government will also investigate the possibility of “developing clearer, evidence-informed standards and guidelines for different PFAS substances” with its partners and provide “mechanisms for addressing current uncertainties in human health and environmental impacts”.
Environment Minister Emma Hardy said: “It's crucial that we protect both public health and the environment for future generations. Through our PFAS Plan, we will act decisively to reduce their harmful effects while transitioning to safer alternatives.”
She added: “We will work in partnership with regulators, industry and local communities to deliver co-ordinated action to ensure ‘forever chemicals’ are not a forever problem.”
The full policy paper, PFAS Plan: building a safer future together, can be accessed here.