Hundreds of chemicals including PFAS and PCBs found polluting the Colne

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hundreds of chemical pollutants, including toxic “forever chemicals” such as PFAS and PCBs, have been found in the River Colne, an extensive analysis has revealed. The natural environment is moving towards saturation level in what it can process – and forever chemicals are just that Dr Veronica Edmonds-Brown, University of Hertfordshire Affinity Water analysed samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry – equivalent to casting a wide net – and found 267 chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals and dioxins in the sediment. “Persistent organic pollutants can be problematic, such as PFAS, as they may have effects in top predators, particularly if they reach the sea and taken up by long-lived animals like dolphins.” We have little idea of what is in the sediments and few of these chemicals and toxins have had ecotoxicological studies done on aquatic life Dr Veronica Edmonds-Brown, University of Hertfordshire Affinity Water and Thames Water said they routinely monitor for at least 47 different compounds of PFAS, which is a now ubiquitous family of industrial pollutants that comes from non-stick cookware, stain repellent clothing, food packaging, cleaning products and firefighting foam among other sources. “We continually monitor all of our source waters on a risk-based frequency and drinking water is supplied to customers well within the standards set by the DWI.” The River Colne investigation found PFAS levels of more than 1.6 ug/kg in the sediment, which Professor Oliver Jones of the RMIT University in Melbourne said was difficult to compare to drinking water guidelines because people do not eat river sediment.