Toxic Forever Chemicals Drop Significantly in English Rivers Over the Past Decade

River Levels Drop

Levels of two toxic forever chemicals in England's rivers have fallen by nearly a third over the last decade, according to new figures from the Environment Agency. The drop includes a 30% fall in PFOS and a 29% fall in PFOA concentrations in English rivers over ten years. Levels in fresh-water fish have dropped by 49% during the same period. Old landfill and industrial sites have been major sources of these chemicals in rivers like the Mersey.

Restrictions and Background

The decline is put down to stricter restrictions on their use after evidence showed damaging impacts on human health and the environment. PFOS was all but banned in the UK in 2010 and PFOA in 2020. These substances were first developed in the 1930s in the US and became popular for making products like frying pans and firefighting foam due to their oil, water, and electrical resistance. They are called forever chemicals because their natural resistance means they take a very long time to break down. Two decades ago, researchers linked them to tissue damage in animals and increased rates of serious health conditions such as testicular cancer.

Regulation Challenges

Thousands of other forever chemicals, known officially as PFAS, remain in use. Dr David Megson, a reader in environmental forensics at Manchester Metropolitan University, said it was brilliant to see how far the UK has come on this issue in the last 10 years, and added that the report provides an essential foundation to make polluters pay for damage. There are thought to be around 15,000 other PFAS, with about 200 frequently used. The Environment Agency said its findings reinforce the need for regulating all PFAS rather than one by one. The chemicals industry has long opposed this approach, arguing limited evidence of toxicity for other PFAS and noting vital uses in life-saving medical equipment. The regulator is now regularly testing 60 other PFAS, and the government announced it would begin monitoring levels in people's bodies earlier this month.

Context

Forever chemicals resist natural breakdown, meaning that even when water concentrations fall through dilution, the total environmental load often remains persistent. High-temperature incineration is one of the few ways to permanently destroy them, though the country currently has only two suitable sites for this process.