Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government works with the UK and Welsh Governments on UK chemicals regulation to ensure the continued protection of the environment and people’s health. We have been clear that the risks the continued use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present is a priority issue for addressing through the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) regulation. This regulation is the principal mechanism for controlling the supply and use of chemicals on the GB market. Earlier this year the Health and Safety Executive, as the Agency for UK REACH, published a detailed report recommending regulatory steps to control the risks of PFAS. Scottish Government supports the recommended prioritised approach, starting with a UK REACH restriction on the use of PFAS in fire-fighting foams with further, wider ranging PFAS restriction proposals to follow. This will build on existing bans on three PFAS through the international Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, to which the UK is a signatory. SEPA supports site operators or users of PFAS-based substances to meet their legal obligations under national legislation. SEPA has worked with Scottish Water for a number of years on the Chemicals Investigation Programme, a UK-wide initiative coordinated by UK Water Industry Research, which investigates pollutants in wastewater treatment work influents and effluents and the effectiveness of treatment options for a range of substances including certain PFAS.

For drinking water sources, measures will be introduced as part of the Scottish Government's commitment to align with the EU’s recast Drinking Water Directive which will require Catchment Risk Assessments to be undertaken. Where there is a risk of compliance failures for substances such as PFAS, remedial action must be taken. Work to align with the requirements of this Directive is currently underway with a compliance deadline of 2027.