RSC calls on UK government to take action on PFAS levels in tap water
By 
Julia Robinson2023-10-18T14:28:00
New analysis reveals more than a third of rivers in England and Wales have medium or high levels of fluorinated compounds
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is calling on the UK government to reduce the current cap on individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals in drinking water from 100ng/l to 10ng/l, warning that levels above this pose a significant risk to public health.
The RSC’s call follows new analysis revealing that more than a third of water courses tested in England and Wales contain medium or high-risk levels of PFAS, which have been linked to a range of serious adverse health conditions including testicular cancer, thyroid disease and liver damage.
As part of its #CleanUpPFAS campaign, launched today, the RSC is also calling on the government to ensure the many hundreds of types of PFAS are reported and captured in a national inventory, to impose stricter regulatory limits on allowable levels of PFAS in industrial discharges and to develop plans for a national chemicals regulator to provide better strategic coordination.