MPs are calling for a sweeping ban on "forever chemicals" found in everyday items including school uniforms and non-stick frying pans, amid growing concern about their long term impact on health and the environment.
Ban on 'forever chemicals'
The warning comes from the Environmental Audit Committee, which has urged the government to take stronger action to regulate PFAS, a group of more than 10,000 synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer products.
PFAS - short for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances - have been used since the 1950s to make products resistant to water, grease and heat. They are commonly found in items such as waterproof clothing, food packaging and non-stick cookware. Their durability is what makes them useful, but it also means they do not break down easily and can build up in the environment and in the human body.
Scientists have raised concerns that PFAS could be linked to serious health issues, including cancer and fertility problems. The chemicals can accumulate over time, with traces now found in the blood of large parts of the population.
Toby Perkins, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: "Nearly all of us will have some level of PFAS in our bodies. But evidence we heard throughout our inquiry suggests that our dependence on PFAS has come with a cost to the environment, and perhaps to human health too."
The committee has recommended that the government begins phasing out all non essential uses of PFAS from 2027. This would apply in cases where the chemicals can be removed or replaced without affecting safety. Products likely to be affected include cookware, food packaging and clothing such as school uniforms, where PFAS are often used to make fabrics stain resistant.
Dr Dave Megson, a chemistry expert at Manchester Metropolitan University, said the chemicals are far more widespread than many people realise.
He told the BBC: "It's staggering, they're in so many products. A lot of the time, they're put in from a convenience point of view, [e.g.] stain resistant, so that's why they're in school uniform, but consumers don't know."
Another key proposal would require companies to prove new PFAS chemicals are safe before they are introduced, rather than regulators having to demonstrate harm after they are already in use.
The government said it will consider the recommendations, having recently published its own PFAS plan which it said showed it was taking "decisive action" on the issue.