Chemistry is making water cleaner

The UK’s water is in poor health: toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), used widely in manufacturing processes and consumer products for many years, are now prevalent in Britain’s rivers and water sources. The fragmentation of responsibilities and expertise in the current UK chemicals regulation system has resulted in a lack of regulatory controls on PFAS use and disposal, leaving both the public and wildlife exposed.

In the meantime, innovative small companies are fighting PFAS contamination with clever chemistry. For example, Puraffinity has developed adsorbent materials for use in filters that trap and remove PFAS from water as it's treated.

To enable scientific solutions to make a real difference, the Royal Society of Chemistry is pushing for nationwide change. We are calling on the UK Government to consider new statutory standards for PFAS levels in water, and to develop accredited analytical methods for PFAS monitoring and measurement – both essential for public health and safety. We are proposing new policies and regulations to deal with the hundreds of low-level PFAS present in UK waters, making the UK’s water reserves safer for all.