Question reference: S6W-23532
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 4 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve and increase testing and monitoring for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment.
Answer
The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) essential work to deliver a comprehensive monitoring programme in order to understand Scotland’s environment and the risks from emerging contaminants of concern, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). SEPA collaborates closely with partners across the UK and engages in various research projects to work towards a common approach on the assessment and management of a wide range of chemicals.
SEPA has developed a new analytical technique to screen environmental water samples for a large number of chemicals, including PFAS. It is currently expanding the extent of this monitoring and the range of substances and analytical media included. SEPA is also developing another method specifically to monitor PFAS substances, which will be ready in 2024.
The Scottish Government is also funding several relevant research projects through its five-year Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture strategic research programme and through the Centre of Expertise on Waters (CREW). This work includes developing techniques to measure perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in salmon, food products (fish), and soils, and developing approaches for future monitoring programmes.