Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce new measures to help reduce the level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in (a) agriculture, (b) waterways and (c) the environment.

The Government is taking steps to assess and reduce levels of PFAS occurring in the environment.

Wastewater treatment practices have changed in recent years and new risks may be emerging from the spread of treated sewage sludge to agricultural land. To mitigate these risks, the Government has been working with water companies on the Chemical Investigations Programme¹ to improve the evidence base on the presence of certain chemicals, including some PFAS, that are not captured and eliminated by the current sewage treatment process.

The Chemical Investigations Programme phase 4 will include an investigation on the impact of spreading sludge to soil, surface and groundwater. The results of this investigation will help to inform future policy.

The Government has also been working with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the water environment

The Environmental Permitting Regulations limit PFAS being discharged to the water environment. Controlling PFAS at source is our preferred measure to reduce the chemicals ever entering the water system, rather than end-of-pipe solutions.

Firefighting foams have been identified as a major source of PFAS to the environment. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are due to publish their dossier investigating whether to restrict the use, manufacture and sale of PFAS in firefighting foams soon, for a 6-month consultation. This dossier has included extensive analysis of risks and hazards of PFAS that are relevant to other uses and sets a firm foundation for further investigation of PFAS risks in Great Britain.

The Government has also completed a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 and will introduce a revised EIP in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Governments approach to managing chemicals, including the risks posed by PFAS.