PFAS Levels 13x Safe Limit in Solent Strait
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- Solent strait shows PFAS pollution at 13 times the safe threshold for coastal waters in some samples, according to a new study.
- Wastewater treatment plants are a major source of PFAS entering the Solent, along with sewage outflows, historic landfills, and nearby military sites.
- Researchers found PFAS throughout the marine food chain and in soil and water at protected environmental sites in the Solent.
- Combined toxicity of PFAS chemicals caused some samples to fail safety thresholds even when individual chemical levels were below legal limits.
- Scientists are calling for the government to include a blanket ban on PFAS in its water reform agenda and to monitor chemical mixtures, not just single substances.
Why it matters: The discovery of PFAS at 13 times safe levels in a protected UK waterway shows current regulations fail to address cumulative chemical risk, putting marine ecosystems and public health at risk while increasing pressure on the government to enact a comprehensive ban.
