Forever chemicals in England’s rivers: PFOS down 30%, and nearly halved in fish

On 12 November 2026 the Environment Agency published a new report on ‘forever chemicals’ in England's rivers. The headline finding: levels of two key substances have fallen markedly.

What PFAS are

PFAS are a large group of chemicals used across a wide range of products and industrial processes. They are called forever chemicals because many break down very slowly — over hundreds of years — and build up in the environment over time.

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The reductions

Between 2016 and 2025, levels of PFOS in English rivers fell by around 30% and PFOA by 29%.

The change in freshwater fish is sharper still: PFOS concentrations there declined by approximately 49%, close to half.

The agency links this directly to regulation: controls and restrictions on PFOS and PFOA have produced measurable reductions in these legacy substances.

But it is not over

The same report says the opposite too: PFAS remain widespread. That reflects decades of historic use plus continued releases from some sources.

The agency's Chief Scientist, Dr Robert Bradburne, notes that understanding has advanced significantly since the 2021 assessment: a much wider range of these chemicals can now be monitored with greater accuracy. He calls the reductions in older PFAS encouraging, but says there is more to do.

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The report draws on thousands of samples. Dr David Megson of Manchester Metropolitan University says that data will help identify and target the worst areas of PFAS pollution. He adds the point such reports exist for: the material provides a foundation for investigations to make the polluters pay for any damage they have caused.

What happens next

The findings will support the UK's first ever PFAS Plan, published earlier this year. The Plan sets out how to understand where these chemicals come from, how they spread and how to reduce exposure to them.

Among the actions already named:

Improved testing and monitoring of England's estuaries and coastal waters. Developing safer alternatives to everyday items — water-repellent clothing and footwear. A new website to raise the public's understanding. New guidance for regulators and industries on legacy PFAS pollution on contaminated land.

Further work includes a possible restriction on forever chemicals in firefighting foams and legislating to prohibit further persistent organic pollutants.

Environment Minister Emma Hardy listed the fronts briefly: tougher rules on use, updated guidance, widespread monitoring and support for safer alternatives.

How the monitoring now works

The agency says it has one of the most advanced PFAS monitoring capabilities in the world. The programme covers rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuaries, coastal waters and landfill leachate.

It tracks not only long-known substances but newer ones, and chemicals that themselves break down into PFAS of greater concern. Planned work includes airborne monitoring, water thresholds and potential replacements.

What this means for an ordinary reader

Two practical conclusions. First, the fall in rivers and fish is real and measured, which means regulation is working rather than merely being announced. Second, water-repellent clothing and footwear are named in the government's own plan as items needing safer alternatives — a direct pointer to where forever chemicals turn up in daily life.