Experts have warned that unregulated chemicals are posing a risk to people and the environment in the UK. In response, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has called on the government to establish a Chemicals Agency to oversee the regulation of chemicals in the country. The RSC cited the use of so-called “forever chemicals” — pollutants which build up in the environment and do not break down — as an example of the deficiencies in the current regulatory regime, which it claimed was not fit for purpose.
The RSC said that disagreements within the government had meant that the issue of chemical regulation had gone unresolved for four years following the UK’s departure from the EU, despite the fact that such regulation is now a solely domestic responsibility. The RSC added that this has left many industries in “limbo” without information about what products could be used, while also harming the environment.
Reacting to the RSC’s recommendation, the Chemical Industries Association agreed that its members needed greater clarity but argued that a new Chemicals Agency might delay the government’s efforts, thereby harming industry further. The RSC, meanwhile, contended that the establishment of a regulatory body would also facilitate scientific studies of chemicals.
The presence of perpetually toxic chemicals in the UK’s waterways and soil, including PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), has been the focus of scientific studies in recent years. PFAS have been linked to health problems including cancer and fertility issues. Last week, a new study by researchers at the University of Cardiff found traces of a newly created PFAS in an otter population in northeast England. In response, Dr Elizabeth Chadwick, co-author of the research paper, has argued that a full ban by 2026 on the use of all PFAS might be an appropriate response
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