On the 4th of June 2025 the North Sea Commission hosted a thematic webinar about the regional and local perspectives on Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. The webinar brought together a wealth of knowledge, collaboration, and dialogue while exploring how local, regional, and European actions can align efforts to tackle PFAS pollution.
While waiting for stricter legislation and the phasing out of PFAS, the work of municipalities will be an important part of protecting people and the environment
Trish Robertson, KIMO President
KIMO’s President, Trish Robertson, had the pleasure to attend and speak about KIMO’s efforts against PFAS with a particular emphasis on the various actions that municipalities can, and should, take. These actions were identified in a newly published report from KIMO Sweden and span across eight areas:
- Water and sewage management
- Supervision and enforcement
- Strategic planning and information
- Municipal operations and maintenance
- Contaminated site remediation
- Research and innovation
- Policy and advocacy
- Information campaigns
The recommendations under these areas contain tangible guidance for municipal efforts to prevent and reduce the presence of PFAS in the environment and KIMO encourages all to read the report.
Based on the insights from the report, KIMO is in the process of preparing a condensed guidance document to support our members and other interested parties in acting against PFAS. Stay tuned!
Read on to learn more about PFAS and how KIMO works to mitigate PFAS pollution
What are PFAS?
PFAS are a group of thousands synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in industrial and consumer products since the 1940s. These chemicals are valued for their unique properties, including resistance to heat, water, oil, and stains, but their persistence in the environment and potential health risks have earned them the nickname “forever chemicals.” Although two of the most well-known PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), have been largely phased out in many countries newer PFAS compounds remain in use, and their long-term effects are not yet fully understood.
Why Are PFAS Problematic?
1. Environmental Persistence
PFAS are highly resistant to natural degradation processes, meaning they can persist in the environment for decades or even centuries. They have been detected in water, soil, air, and wildlife across the globe, including in remote areas like the Arctic.
2. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
PFAS can accumulate in the bodies of living organisms, including humans, over time. They are also known to biomagnify, meaning their concentration increases as they move up the food chain. This poses a significant risk to both wildlife and humans.
3. Human Health Risks
Exposure to PFAS has been linked to a range of adverse health effects and even low levels of exposure over time can be harmful, as PFAS can build up in the body and remain there for years.
4. Water Contamination
One of the most pressing concerns is the contamination of drinking water supplies. PFAS can leach into groundwater from industrial sites, landfills, and firefighting training areas, leading to widespread exposure for communities relying on these water sources.
5. The Marine Environment
Due to their extreme persistence, PFAS remain a major threat to marine ecosystems and food webs. Below are some specific ways in which PFAS harms the marine environment:
- Bioaccumulation in Marine Life – PFAS build up in fish, shellfish, and marine mammals, increasing in concentration up the food chain
- Toxicity to Organisms – They disrupt endocrine and immune systems, harm reproduction, and cause developmental issues in marine species.
- Sediment & Coastal Contamination – PFAS accumulate in seabed sediments, particularly near industrial and military sites, creating long-term pollution reservoirs.
- Human Exposure via Seafood – Contaminated fish and shellfish pose health risks to consumers, including potential cancer and immune effects.
- Global Spread – PFAS persist in seawater and have been detected even in remote areas like the Arctic and deep-sea trenches.
What Is Being Done About PFAS in the EU?
- Restrictions Under REACH:
The EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation has been used to restrict the use of certain PFAS. In February 2023 five European countries – Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden – submitted a proposal to restrict over 10,000 PFAS (with derogations for some sectors), under the EU REACH. The restriction is also known as the universal PFAS restriction. This restriction is currently under review with the revision planned for Q4 2025. If passed into law would be a significant step towards creating a PFAS-free economy in the EU. KIMO follows the process closely and together with the North Sea Commission we make an effort to ensure that the revision takes an ambitious approach. - The EU has updated its Drinking Water Directive (2020) to include stricter limits for PFAS in drinking water in a bid to better protect public health. Member states must comply with these limits by 12 January 2026.
- The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) was updated in 2024 to include stricter controls on PFAS discharges from industries.
- The European Water Resilience Strategy (published on 4 June 2025) commits to eliminating pre-existing PFAS pollution from water systems through public-private partnerships and investment in new treatment technologies.
What is being done about PFAS Regulation in the UK?
New data published by CHEM Trust highlights that the regulatory gap between EU and UK protections on PFAS is significant and growing. Since the UK left the EU system of regulating chemicals (EU REACH) and established its own parallel system, it has focused on just a fraction of EU protections and at a much slower pace. Other than restrictions on certain PFAS adopted internationally, or those already in force prior to exiting the EU, the UK has so far only started the process on one restriction – PFAS in firefighting foams.
Instead of the universal restriction being proposed in the EU, the UK has undertaken an RMOA (Regulatory Management Options Analysis), which uses a much narrower definition of what substances should be considered as PFAS, with only a few hundred substances in the scope, excluding thousands of PFAS. The RMOA also covers fewer sectors than the EU’s universal PFAS restriction proposal.
Together KIMO and KIMO UK is seeking to influence national legislation and most recently KIMO UK responded to the Call for Evidence from the UK Parliament Environmental Audit Committee.
What is KIMO doing to combat PFAS Pollution?
The presence and implications of PFAS pollution in the marine environment is a growing concern among KIMO’s members. Therefore, KIMO works together with local, national and international stakeholders to stop PFAS from entering our oceans. To address the concern and highlight prevention of PFAS pollution as a key focus area, in 2024 KIMO established an international PFAS Working Group. The working group is composed of a mixture of technical and political representatives from KIMO’s members, all dedicated to collating information, share knowledge and contribute to KIMO’s efforts on PFAS. Our next action will be a statement to influence the REACH regulation before completion.
Highlights among previous actions
- In 20222 the KIMO Assembly of Delegates passed a Resolution to ban PFAS
- In 2023 together with the North Sea Commission KIMO issued a joint statement on the risks posed by PFAS
- In 2023 KIMO signed the BanPFAS Manifesto together with 138 other European civil society organisations