Whether it will consider conducting research into the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other potentially…

Chemicals regulation in the UK engages a complex mix of devolved and reserved competence. Scottish Government works with the Welsh and UK Governments (the “appropriate authorities”) under the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) Regulation to ensure the risks posed by chemicals and chemicals in products, including period products, are adequately controlled for people and the environment across Great Britain.
During preparation of the 2022/23 UK REACH work programme officials considered a number of potential chemical risks for further investigation and, where necessary, control under UK REACH. One such case was hazardous substances in period products (See Rationale for prioritising substances in the UK REACH work programme, 2022 to 2023
- GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ). Based on evidence presented by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the appropriate authorities concluded that no further investigation was necessary because existing evidence suggests such chemicals are either not measurable, or the levels present are too low to present a risk to human health. As with all previously considered cases that were not taken forward, this conclusion will be kept under review.
The conclusion was based on the findings of a study into feminine hygiene products by the French Chemicals Agency (see ANSES OPINION on the safety of feminine hygiene products & Feminine hygiene products: composition and toxic shock syndrome, our recommendations | Anses
- Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail ) which did not find any risk associated with the presence of the substances tested for, and a related study by the Swedish Chemicals Agency (see kemi.se/download/18.6df1d3df171c243fb2331064/1589120703821/report-8-18-survey-of-hazardous-chemical-substances-in-feminine-hygiene-products.pdf & New report: No reason for concern about chemicals in menstrual products
- Kemikalieinspektionen ) that concluded that the risk to human health of the 61 substances that were identified was low (although investigated, no per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, were found). The French study recommended that manufacturers improve the quality of these products in order to eliminate or minimise the presence of chemicals.
With regard to PFAS, in April 2023 the HSE published a Risk Management Options Analysis ( UK REACH: Regulatory management option analysis (RMOA) (hse.gov.uk) ) recommending several actions to better protect people and the environment from this group of chemicals. Scottish Government strongly supports regulatory action on PFAS as a priority and we expect these recommendations to be taken forward without delay under the UK REACH Regulation.