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How to avoid PFAS: forever chemicals in water, explained

Mark Appel
Tags: In your water

You can reduce your PFAS exposure in three practical ways: know your local water quality, check everyday products, and treat your drinking water where it helps. Here is what forever chemicals actually are — and what the evidence says about them in the UK.

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Avoiding PFAS starts with knowing where they occur. PFAS –  per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often called forever chemicals – are a group of around 10,000 man-made compounds, developed in the late 1930s and in widespread use since the 1950s in non-stick coatings, water-repellent textiles, food packaging and firefighting foams. Because they are used so widely, small amounts reach soil, rivers and, in places, drinking water sources.

The UK drinking water is tested against defined guideline levels, and measured concentrations are generally low. Most PFAS intake, however, comes through food – mainly fish and meat products – and inhaled particles rather than through drinking water. The realistic goal is not zero exposure but informed reduction: knowing your local water quality, recognising the main product sources, and deciding whether additional filtration makes sense for your household.

Water quality questions rarely travel alone – what is actually in UK tap water, and how safe it is to drink, is covered in our article on water quality.

PFOA, PFOS, TFA: the names behind the group

Two substances defined the PFAS story. PFOA (the pfoa meaning behind the headlines: perfluorooctanoic acid, historically used in non-stick production – banned in the EU since 2020) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate, once common in stain repellents and foams, likewise restricted internationally). A newer focus is trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) – an ultrashort-chain PFAS that European water monitoring increasingly tracks.

How the UK regulates and monitors PFAS

PFAS regulations are evolving. UK water companies monitor supplies against guideline values, and treatment works apply established water treatment steps; PFAS in the UK remain under active review as European limits tighten. In the EU, legally binding maximum levels for PFAS in certain foods have applied since January 2023, with member states required to enforce the limit values from January 2026 – and a proposal to restrict the substance group as a whole is under review at EU level. The direction is clear: stricter limits, more monitoring, more transparency.

How would you even know? Testing, explained

PFAS testing is available at two levels. Accredited laboratories test drinking water samples against the substances regulators track. A pfas blood test uk laboratories offer can measure body burden – a snapshot, not a diagnosis, and best discussed with a medical professional. For most households, the local water quality report is the practical starting point.

Where PFAS hide in everyday life

Beyond water: non-stick cookware coatings (where PFA material – a fluoropolymer – is common), grease-resistant food packaging, water-repellent clothing and some cosmetics. Products labelled without these substances reduce day-to-day contact. A dedicated pfas filter for drinking water is the third lever: sorption with activated carbon is considered one of the most effective and economical ways to reduce PFAS in water – covered next.


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Sources & further reading:

European Chemicals Agency ECHA (1)
Biology Insights, European Chemicals Agency ECHA (2) 
EUR-Lex, Bundesamt für Risikobewertung BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) 
International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC 
Science Direct 
Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen DZNE (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases) 
Drinking Water Inspectorate DWI (1) 
Drinking Water Inspectorate (2) 
EurEau 
Le Monde

Last reviewed: July 2026
Technically reviewed by Dr. Stephan Eichhorn, Head of Group Technical Affairs, BRITA Group

Common questions about PFAS

Thinking about a PFAS water filter?

We believe you should know exactly what a filter does before you buy one. No promises without proof: in our MAXTRA PRO Water Filter Cartridges, the active carbon made from coconut shells is proven to reduce PFAS (such as PFOS and PFOA, tested according to NSF/ANSI 53). That is what we can show — clearly and without small print.
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Enjoy better-tasting water every day – find the BRITA Water Filter Cartridge that best matches your needs.

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