Environmental investigative journalism nonprofit

UK ministers under pressure to tighten laws on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Pressure is building on UK ministers to tighten regulations on PFAS “forever chemicals” as research by Watershed shows vast numbers of people are drinking water with levels that would be banned in the US.

On Tuesday, US president Joe Biden announced plans to drive down acceptable limits in drinking water to four nanograms per litre (4ng/l) for two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFOS and PFOA), and announced proposals to regulate four more – PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX Chemicals – as a mixture. In the UK the guideline limit is 100ng/l.

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