Whether you own, buy, or redevelop land, the term PFAS is one you’re going to hear a lot more of in the future.
Earlier in 2026, the UK Government published its first national PFAS Plan, which sets a clear aim to bring these “forever chemicals” into the everyday business of land assessment and redevelopment.
What are PFAS?
PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are a family of synthetic chemicals known for being water-, grease- and heat-resistant. They’ve been used for decades in all aspects of our daily life, from non-stick coatings, waterproof fabrics, food packaging and, most significantly for land contamination, firefighting foams. Their resistance is also the key issue, they are persistent and do not degrade quickly or easily, hence the nickname of “forever chemicals”, and this is why widespread traces are now being identified.
Due to this persistent nature, PFAS can accumulate in soil and water over time, and together with their potential toxicity, that drives the concern around PFAS, both with regards to human health and controlled waters. Government monitoring has found PFAS in around 80% of surface water and 50% of groundwater samples tested across England.
Why it matters now
The PFAS Plan is the first time the UK has prepared a combined single strategy, with actions running through to 2028. A few elements stand out for anyone involved within land redevelopment:
- The Environment Agency is building a national risk-screening picture expected to flag more than 10,000 potentially affected sites in England, alongside a mapping tool that will be shared with public bodies by the end of 2026.
- Technical guidance for managing PFAS-affected land, spanning planning, voluntary remediation and permitting is due by 2027, along with updated advice to local authorities on legacy PFAS under the Part 2A contaminated land regime.
- In Wales, the Welsh Government is scaling up its own PFAS surface-water monitoring, from around 600 to 850 samples.
For now, the Plan sets a direction rather than firm requirements, with much of the detail relying on future research, guidance and review which may be a potential limitation. The intent is nonetheless clear, and PFAS is likely to feature increasingly in how land is assessed and managed going forward.
What this means for developers and landowners
For the majority of sites, PFAS won’t be a significant obstacle. However, it is fast becoming a factor best considered at the outset, where it can be dealt with in a measured way rather than causing avoidable delay later on.
The risk is highest where firefighting foams were historically used or stored, such as airfields, fuel depots and tank farms, manufacturing and fire training grounds. If your site has that kind of history, the potential risk of PFAS contamination is a question worth asking early, at the desk study stage, to allow for suitable investigation and assessment.
ESP have previously undertaken assessments in this regard, including at a former fire-equipment factory in South Wales. Here PFAS was identified alongside other contamination during our ground investigation.
How ESP can help
At Earth Science Partnership we’ve been assessing contaminated land across Wales and beyond since 1995, and PFAS is now a standard part of how we think about site risk.
Whether you’re at the early appraisal stage of a purchase or planning a development on a site with an industrial history, we can help you understand whether PFAS is a genuine concern and, if it is, what a sensible, proportionate response looks like.
