PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, one of the most tightly controlled PFAS) remain one of the most active areas of UK chemical regulation in 2026. With HSE’s closer alignment to ECHA on SVHC identification now bedding in, and a dedicated PFAS work programme running alongside UK REACH, businesses are facing more PFAS-related scrutiny than at any point since PFOS was first restricted.
Where things stand
PFOS itself remains subject to long-standing UK restrictions, carried over from the POPs framework, with only narrow, closely defined derogations still in place. The wider PFAS group — several thousand substances by most definitions — continues to be regulated as a group of related concerns rather than a single chemical, with UK activity so far focused on specific, high-exposure uses rather than a blanket restriction.
A number of PFAS-related substances already sit on the UK REACH Candidate List, including some carried across under the faster alignment process with ECHA covered in our earlier posts. More additions in this group are expected as ECHA’s own assessment work continues.
What businesses are being asked to do
- Build and maintain a PFAS inventory across products, formulations and manufacturing processes — not just finished goods.
- Distinguish between PFAS present as an intentional ingredient and PFAS present as a trace impurity, coating residue or processing aid — both matter, but the response differs.
- Keep a live watch on both current restrictions and emerging restriction activity, rather than treating PFAS as a single compliance task to close out once.
Why this is worth acting on now
PFAS regulation in the UK is clearly moving in one direction — tighter, faster, and more closely tied to what ECHA is doing across the wider group. Businesses that already hold a clear, current PFAS inventory are in a far stronger position to respond quickly as specific uses come under consultation, rather than starting that inventory work from scratch under time pressure.
How we can help
We help clients build PFAS inventories that actually hold up to scrutiny, map where PFAS sits across their supply chain, and keep watch on the restrictions that matter to their specific products. If PFAS hasn’t had a proper review in your business this year, now is a good time.
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