On Wednesday 25 June, MPs hold the first evidence session of a
new inquiry into
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) also
known as ‘forever chemicals'.
MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee will consider what
affect these chemicals have on the environment and human health,
and whether the UK's current approach to regulating them goes far
enough.
PFAS are a family of more than 14,000 synthetic chemicals found
in a range of everyday items, from food packaging to cosmetics.
However, resistant to heat, water, oil and grease, the long time
it takes these chemicals to break down means they can pose
potential risks to the environment and to people's bodies as they
accumulate.
Alternatives are currently being explored for some uses, while
for others PFAS chemicals are seen as being critical. In the
session, MPs are likely to ask witnesses which industries rely on
PFAS, and how feasible it is to find genuine alternatives.
The EU is currently seeking to regulate PFAS as an entire class
of chemicals and allow them to be used only when proven
essential, while the Canadian government is assessing
fluoropolymers – one subgroup of chemicals – as distinct from
PFAS, due to different exposure and hazard profiles.
However, the regulation of PFAS chemicals is the subject of
intense debate. Some researchers say
defining the PFAS family more narrowly to exclude certain
subgroups would be “politically and/or economically, rather than
scientifically, motivated”.
MPs are likely to ask witnesses how the UK's current approach to
regulating PFAS compares to that of the EU or USA, among others,
and whether PFAS should be regulated collectively as a single
class of chemicals.
The session is also likely to cover PFAS exposure in the UK. MPs
are likely to ask how exposure is mapped and monitored, whether
deprived communities are more at risk, and whether enough is
known about the risks of PFAS to communities across the UK.
Witnesses
From 14.30:
- Linsey Cottrell, Environmental Policy Officer, Conflict and
Environment Observatory
- Dr Joanna Cloy, Senior Projects Manager, Fidra
- Professor Michael Depledge, Emeritus Professor, European
Centre for Environment and Human Health
From 15.30:
- Andy Spence, Joint Managing Director, Britannia Fire Ltd.
- Dr Nissanka Rajapakse, Group Head of Product Stewardship,
Johnson Matthey
- Mark Hirlam, Global Sales Director, Delipac
