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36 min ago 2 min read
UK industrial gas firms may face a group-based ban of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as recommended in a new Environmental Audit Committee 2026 report.
Following a year-long inquiry, the committee recommends the government moves away from a substance-by-substance approach and instead proposes a ban on non-essential uses of PFAS by 2027, with strict, time-limited derogations for essential industrial applications. The inquiry found the current self-regulation approach to be “too laissez-faire”.
While some industrial gas applications (specific fluorine gases, components in hydrogen electrolysers) might be deemed essential, companies will be required to prove that no technically or economically feasible alternatives exist. The committee recommends that even essential uses should have time limits, pushing companies to rapidly develop alternatives.
But therein lies the challenge. PFAS substances are deeply embedded in critical, high-performance applications such as sealing, lining, and firefighting and no equally effective or durable alternatives currently exist.
The industry faces a combination of immense technical challenges, significant replacement costs, and complex, shifting global regulatory environment.
The committee has called for the reform of UK Reach regulatory framework by March 2027, setting targets at half the current statutory maximum timescales to speed up restrictions.
A policy paper called for the industry to manage manufacturing and post-use PFAS risks.
To read the GWGI Riskwatch report on PFAS, click
