Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to enforce the restrictions on the market of C9-C14 PFCAs, their salts and related substances, agreed by ECHA by the end of the transition period; and whether those restrictions will be transposed into UK REACH by 1 January 2021.

At the end of the transition period, only those restrictions that are in force in EU REACH will be automatically carried over into UK REACH. The restriction proposals on C9-C14 PFCAs and on PFHxS are not yet agreed under EU REACH and are not likely to be in force at the end of the transition period, so will not be automatically carried over into UK law.

After the end of the transition period we will make independent decisions on future REACH restrictions, taking into account any analysis already carried out, including in the EU, consultations, and our own independent scientific advice.

Defra and the Environment Agency are working closely with other regulators to investigate sources, pathways and risks associated with PFAS chemicals in the environment in order to facilitate decisions on future risk management options.