Liberal Democrats Demand Urgent Ban on "Forever Chemicals" to Protect Public Health

The Liberal Democrats are intensifying their pressure on the government to tackle the pervasive threat of "forever chemicals," warning that current inaction leaves the public exposed to significant health risks.

​Led by Roz Savage MP in the Commons and Baroness Bakewell in the Lords, the party is highlighting the ubiquitous nature of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have become ingrained in everyday life. The party’s leadership argues that the UK’s current "wait and see" approach is a failure of governance that ignores both scientific evidence and international trends.

​The Scale of the Problem
​The party points out that these synthetic chemicals are no longer just an industrial concern; they have entered the domestic sphere and the human biology of the British public.

Roz Savage MP has the urgent need for a shift in how these substances are regulated.
​"Forever chemicals are in school uniforms, non-stick pans, and most of our bodies,"Roz  Savage MP

​This sentiment is echoed in the House of Lords, where the Liberal Democrats have been even more blunt about the health implications. Baroness Bakewell, the party’s environment spokesperson in the Lords, lambasted the status quo: “It seems a nonsense that we are determined to poison the population."
​A Roadmap for Change
​The Liberal Democrats are backing a specific timeline for detoxification. Drawing from her work on the Environmental Audit Committee, Savage highlighted a clear path forward that balances industrial reality with public safety. The committee has officially called for a ban on these substances in consumer products to protect the environment and human health.

​The Target: A total phase-out of all non-essential PFAS.
​The Timeline: Implementation starting from 2027.
​The Strategy: Transitioning to safer, sustainable alternatives for consumer goods.

"The Environmental Audit Committee, which I sit on, has called for a phase-out of non-essential PFAs from 2027." Roz Savage MP 

​Challenging Government "Inertia"
​A primary concern for the Liberal Democrats is that the UK is falling behind international standards, specifically those being established by the European Union. They argue that "monitoring" is no longer a sufficient response to a known environmental hazard, and they have dismissed the government's rhetoric regarding its environmental leadership.

​"The EU is already moving that way,". "The government needs to act, not just monitor." Roz Savage MP 

​Baroness Bakewell further critiqued the gap between the government's self-image and the reality of its legislative agenda. “The government thinks it’s at the forefront of everything, but … this isn’t the case and the government isn’t willing to move forward on the environment,” 

​By advocating for these stricter controls, the Liberal Democrats aim to ensure the UK does not become a regulatory "laggard," protecting both the environment and long-term public health from the accumulation of persistent toxins.


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