The UK government is considering allowing chemicals approved in foreign countries to bypass domestic safety reviews, raising concerns about weaker protections for public health and the environment.
George Monbiot writes for The Guardian.
In short:
- A government consultation proposes letting chemicals approved in “trusted foreign jurisdictions” be authorized for UK use without UK testing or review.
- The plan could remove expiry dates for chemical approvals and scrap a public database on harmful properties maintained by the Health and Safety Executive.
- Critics warn the approach may breach the EU-UK trade agreement and worsen contamination from PFAS, microplastics, and biocides already present in water and soil.
Key quote:
“Already, we face a massive contamination crisis as a result of regulatory failure in this country, as compounds such as Pfas (‘forever chemicals’), microplastics and biocides spread into our lives.”
— George Monbiot, columnist for The Guardian
Why this matters:
Chemical deregulation can shift health and cleanup costs from industry to the public, embedding pollution in bodies and ecosystems for generations. The UK already grapples with PFAS, a class of “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, immune disruption and fertility issues. Microplastics and biocides are turning up in rivers, soil and even human blood, yet oversight systems remain patchy since Brexit separated the UK from the EU’s stricter regime. Looser standards could accelerate cross-border contamination, complicate trade and deepen mistrust over regulatory transparency. Public exposure to toxic substances rarely reverses course; once chemicals are in circulation, they persist long after political priorities change.
Related: UK rivers are showing high levels of a stubborn PFAS pollutant linked to climate and health risks
