KIMO UK has issued a strongly worded press release in response to the UK Government’s recently announced Environment Improvement Plan which has been described as ‘inadequate’ to address the scale of the PFAS pollution crisis faced by local authorities across the UK. The full press release is included below – well worth a read!
PRESS RELEASE
KIMO launches PFAS guidance for Local Authorities as UK Government’s Environment Plan Fails to Match Scale of ‘Forever Chemical’ Crisis
Issued: 8th December 2025
For Immediate Release
KIMO has launched new, practical guidance for Local Authorities on combating PFAS, warning that the UK Government’s newly announced Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) lacks the ambition required to effectively fight the pervasive threat of these ‘forever chemicals’.
The comprehensive guide provides a multi-pronged strategy for municipalities, featuring a clear implementation framework and a special focus on the powerful tool of PFAS-free procurement.
PFAS is the collective name for a group of several thousand synthetic chemical compounds, also known as ‘forever chemicals’, characterised by chains of carbon and fluorine atoms. Because of their ability to repel water, dirt and fats they have been widely used for decades in the fabrication of industrial and consumer products including fabrics, furniture, cookware, carpets, packaging, metals and firefighter foam.
PFAS can be released into the environment through both the manufacture and use of these products. They persist and accumulate in the environment and degrade extremely slowly, ultimately accumulating in the food chain. They are toxic to humans and animals, having been linked with numerous health conditions including thyroid problems, infertility, cancer, and disorders of the liver and kidneys. Most UK residents are likely to have some level of PFAS in their bloodstream.
The BBC Panorama documentary, broadcast on December 1st and available to watch on iPlayer, highlighted the spread of PFAS in the environment but did not touch on the critical problem of PFAS in the ocean. PFAS travel easily in water, making their way from polluted rivers and other water sources to the sea. They have been found at concerning levels in marine mammals and in waters as far away as the Arctic Ocean.
Research in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands has shown that PFAS from the ocean is posing a particular threat to coastal communities as PFAS make their way back onto the land via sea foam and sea spray aerosols. The result of this contamination is widespread and includes contaminated soils, wildlife, groundwater, rainwater and drinking water.
KIMO International President, Preben Friis-Hauge, said:
The concerning reality of PFAS pollution is a global burden, but it falls disproportionately on coastal communities. These forever chemicals cycle from land to sea and back again, contaminating our food, water, and the very air we breathe through sea spray. KIMO is committed to equipping municipalities to combat this insidious form of pollution, as we cannot afford to wait for slow-moving national policies.
While the EU advances towards a comprehensive PFAS ban, the UK’s new EIP offers only limited action, mentioning a potential restriction on PFAS in firefighting foam but failing to commit to wider, essential controls.
KIMO UK Chair, Heather Woodbridge, said:
This policy guidance is urgently needed because the UK Government has yet to act decisively. The Environment Improvement Plan represents a missed opportunity to set out a clear, preventative approach. By not aligning with the EU’s move toward a broad restriction, the Government risks leaving our coastal environments – and the communities that depend on them – without the protection they require and deserve. Local Authorities are committed to tackling contamination but it requires the support of the UK Government to meet the scale of the challenge – so we again call on UK Ministers to work with KIMO to achieve these vital objectives.
KIMO has been at the forefront of the PFAS issue for years, adopting a formal resolution in 2023 and hosting an international webinar on the topic last month. The organisation stresses that any future government PFAS plan, promised for 2026, must restrict all non-essential uses to have a significant impact.
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Notes to editors
1. For more information please contact KIMO UK Network Coordinator Robina Barton ([email protected])
2. KIMO (Kommunernes Internationale Miljøorganisation) formed in 1990, is an association of Local Governments in the North, Irish and Baltic Sea areas working together to combat the challenges of marine litter and pollution that impact the environment, health and economies of coastal communities. KIMO was the first organisation to research and document the economic impacts of marine litter. KIMO UK is a formal national network within the parent organisation.