The Government has said that it wants to see the results of EU REACH decisions, and will consider where essential-use approaches have been helpful in other countries, before making further moves to regulate Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — so-called forever chemicals.
It was responding to a report by the Environmental Audit Committee (see MPs call for ban on some forever chemicals) which called for the Government to rapidly restrict PFAS from non-essential consumer products such as food packaging, cookware and school uniforms.
In its response to the Committee report, the Government argues that, while it wants to enable industry to transition to safer alternatives, restricting PFAS to essential use only “presents additional complexities”.
It goes on to say that it wants UK protections against chemical regulation to align more closely and to reduce unnecessary friction with the European Union.
According to the Committee, Ministers cite constructive conversations with the EU at meetings of environmental regulators, as well as the chemicals industry’s engagement with the EU, and say they are exploring opportunities for technical exchanges on PFAS.
In terms of policy, however, the Government has gone no further than its February 2026 document, PFAS Plan: Building a Safer Future Together.
