Petition · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Set legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, ban PFAS in consumer goods and food

Closed 488 signatures

What the petition asks

Introduce binding legal limits for PFAS in UK drinking water. Ban PFAS in cookware, cosmetics, fabrics, carpets and food packaging and pesticides with no extended phase-in period. Make polluters pay for clean-up and force companies to switch to safe alternatives, with penalties for non-compliance.
PFAS are already contaminating rivers, soils, and drinking water sources across the UK and persist in our bodies. Linked to cancers, thyroid disease, and developmental harm, they may increase burden on the NHS. A 2024 report found UK groundwater PFAS at 1,199,000 ng/L near a foam testing site, nearly 12,000 times England and Wales’ 100 ng/L limit. Many other countries have stricter standards. Prevention is cheaper than clean-up, which costs billions. Industry must be held accountable.

Timeline

27 Nov 2025 Petition opened for signatures
27 May 2026 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 488
Status Closed
Department Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened 27 Nov 2025
Closed 27 May 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 4 Aug 2026.