About PFAS
Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are a group of man-made chemicals used in products to resist heat, oil, stains and water.
They're commonly used in:
- clothing
- furniture
- adhesives
- food packaging
- heat resistant nonstick cooking surfaces
- insulation of electrical wire
PFAS doesn’t happen naturally in the environment and are extremely persistent because they resist degradation processes. They are often referred to as forever chemicals.
Common members of the PFAS family include:
- PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate)
- PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid)
- PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonate)
PFAS are in so many common products that it is widely believed that everyone has low levels of PFAS chemicals in their blood.
PFAS in Jersey
PFAS are of particular interest in Jersey because of their presence in some borehole and wells.
Fire fighting foams that contained PFAS chemicals were historically used at Jersey Airport. This was before we better understood the environmental significance.
Private boreholes and wells in that area now contain PFAS.
Following this discovery, the Government of Jersey and Ports of Jersey have done sampling and associated remedial work. This work is still ongoing.
Most countries have now stopped using PFAS in firefighting foam: because of the potential harm on health, as a precautionary measure.
WQS questions and answers
We have put together a list of questions we received through the public Islander meetings as well as emails to our inbox. These have been answered in the document below.
This will continue to be updated with the questions you ask.
WQS Questions and Answers
PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel
The PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel is an independent panel. It's made up of external experts recruited from a global pool of specialists in their field.
The panel is chaired by Dr Steve Hajioff who is independent of the government and PFAS research. This is to provide a robust and balanced overview to the work of the panel.
Purpose of the panel
The purpose of the panel is to coordinate and provide expert advice on PFAS issues. This is to enable an effective and evidenced based approach to decision making, enabling a sound and informed response to PFAS matters on the Island.
The responsibilities and tasks of the panel are to:
- agree a programme of work and timeline and deliver the reports as outlined below
- engage affected islanders' knowledge, expertise, and views into the work of the panel
- seek out and engage expert views from other professionals as required
The panel members
The panel is a small group of experts which includes:
- Independent Chair, Dr Steve Hajioff
- Dr Tony Fletcher, PFAS and health expert and epidemiologist
- Professor Ian Cousins, PFAS and environment expert
PFAS panel membership
The Chair is responsible for coordinating the panel.
The members of the panel may also call additional global experts to provide, for example, expert testimonies or clinical advice. Islanders will also be asked to provide expert testimonies to contribute to the evidence base.
Reports and documents
Report launches will be in person, held in the west of the island and start 6pm where possible.
The panel will develop the following reports:
- review of therapeutic phlebotomy such as having blood taken to reduce PFAS levels
- assessment of the impact of PFAS exposure on health
- clinical interventions and blood testing and re-testing
- environmental management
- updates on the previous reports
First Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey
Second Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey
Third Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey
Government Response to PFAS Panel Report 3
Drafts
Draft Interim Phase One of the Fourth Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey
Draft Interim Phase Two of the Fourth Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey
Engagement events for Islanders
Details of the next Islander meeting:
Date
| 17 December 2025
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Time
| 6pm
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Location
| St Brelade's Parish Hall
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The purpose of this meeting is to launch the PFAS panel’s second interim Report 4 which relates to PFAS in food, soil, waste and private water supplies. All 3 members of the PFAS panel will attend the meeting in person to present the report and take questions.
Meetings
Meetings are held virtually. If you’d like to watch the live meeting or receive the recording, email RegulationEnquiries@gov.je.
2026
2025
2024 to 2023
Islander meeting notes and slides
Water Quality and Safety Programme
The Water Quality and Safety (WQS) Programme has been established to address growing public concerns over water quality and safety in Jersey. This comprehensive initiative consolidates multiple interconnected projects, including PFAS contamination workstreams, under a single governance structure. By integrating these efforts, the WQS Programme ensures a coordinated, prioritised, and strategic response to water quality challenges.
PFAS contamination, linked to the historical use of firefighting foams, has raised significant health and environmental concerns, particularly in areas surrounding Jersey Airport. Scientific research indicates potential long-term health risks, prompting the Government of Jersey to take proactive action. A key element of this response is the PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel, which provides expert guidance and evidence-based recommendations that shape the WQS Programme’s implementation strategy.
Beyond PFAS, the WQS Programme aims to strengthen water regulation, monitoring, and evaluation practices. It will integrate recommendations from the forthcoming Water Strategy, which outlines the Government’s long-term approach to ensuring water supply security, quality, and safety. These efforts will safeguard public health, protect environmental integrity, and uphold the Government’s commitment to meeting community expectations.
Programme board
The WQS Programme Board provides governance and oversight, ensuring accountability, progress tracking, and alignment with Ministerial commitments. By overseeing policy development, resource allocation, and milestone delivery, the Board drives improvements in water quality and safety across Jersey.
The board meets monthly to provide updates and make important decisions. It is joint chaired by both:
- Minister for the Environment
- Minister for Health and Social Services
Programme board meeting dates:
Programme Team
The team's creation reflects the Government of Jersey's commitment to delivering a coordinated and prioritised response to key water safety concerns, including the PFAS contamination workstreams. Working closely with the WQS Programme Board, the team is tasked with implementing decisions, managing projects, and ensuring the timely delivery of objectives that align with Ministerial commitments and public expectations.
The programme team meets monthly to update on each of the different areas of the programme. They will make decisions where possible and decide what needs to be escalated to the programme board.
The chair of the team is the Group Director of Regulation. Officers from different areas of government make up the rest of the team.
Programme team meeting dates:
Health effects of PFAS
There is increasing international concern and research about the health effects of PFAS exposure. This remains a relatively new area of human research. There is no international agreement about what a 'normal' level of PFAS in the blood is, or what level might be harmful for health.
Despite growing international interest, it is difficult to interpret the evidence between PFAS and human health impacts, for example:
- This is an emerging field of knowledge; more international research will be necessary over the coming years to provide evidence that either supports or refutes what is understood currently
- It is difficult to determine the health impacts of environmental contaminants because of correlated exposures, the small relative risk of disease attributed to exposure, and because, for ethical reasons, randomised controlled trials cannot be conducted
- PFAS chemicals are everywhere, meaning that most populations are expected to have some level of PFAS in their blood
- Lack of evidence does not mean evidence of no effect; there may be other conditions associated with PFAS exposure but the scientific evidence is not yet available to draw firm conclusions.
The PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel have published their report into the health effects of PFAS. They reviewed scientific literature and spoke to Islanders from the affected area around the airport, and researchers who work in this field.
The Panel reviewed the health literature for health conditions raised by affected Islanders and the researchers. They determined that the scientific literature suggests that there are health effects caused by PFAS following exposure incidents, such as that around Jersey airport.
In 2024, the World Health Organisation determined that PFOA is carcinogenic (i.e. causes cancer) and that PFOS is ‘possibly’ carcinogenic.
The Panel determined that the following health implications are ‘most likely’ to be affected by significant PFAS exposure:
- Increased cholesterol
- Reduced vaccination efficiency in children
- Reduced duration of breastfeeding in exposed mothers
The Panel determined that the following conditions are ‘probably’ affected by significant PFAS exposure:
- Kidney cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Liver function
More information can be found in the Panel’s final Report 2 on health effects.
It remains good advice for people to avoid significant exposure to PFAS where possible, although complete avoidance of PFAS exposure would be very difficult as PFAS can be found in all societies worldwide.
Blood testing
In 2022, one off blood testing was provided for a group of Islanders who may have been affected by the historic use of PFAS at the airport. The eligibility criteria included living (for one year) or working (for two years) in the plume area, and reporting regularly drinking water from a private supply (such as a borehole or well), and having at least 1 symptom that is consistent with the health concerns that are related to PFAS.
There are some significant challenges with blood testing for PFAS:
- there is no scientific agreement or any standard methodology for interpreting blood results
- there are no internationally agreed clinical limits for 'normal' PFAS levels in blood
- there are a limited number of reference populations worldwide for comparison. We compared Jersey’s results to USA population data, which may have different background levels of PFAS and so may not be an ideal comparator
The results showed that some people had higher levels of PFAS in their blood compared to the reference population in the United States.
Results of blood testing for PFAS chemicals
The panel of international scientific experts will advise government on potential interventions to reduce PFAS in the blood, testing and re-testing, and environmental management.
Environmental research
Hydrogeological survey
In December 2018 we began an investigation into PFAS levels in private water supplies in Jersey. We presented the initial findings and advice for those with private water supplies at public meetings.
A number of recommendations in the Interim Reports focus on understanding the position, movement, future risk and options for clean up of two PFAS plumes in St Ouen's Bay and Pont Marquet areas of Jersey.
A hydrogeological survey of both these areas is being undertaken. Phase 1 represents the assessment of all historic sampling data and identification of future data needs and is now complete.
In 2021, the Government of Jersey engaged Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd to undertake a hydrogeological study. This was to assess PFAS distribution and potential risks as well as identify potential remediation options.
Phase 1 of the study was reported in June 2023. This developed an initial understanding of PFAS contamination using historical data.
Phase 2 of the study involved:
- Further assessment and monitoring
- Hydrogeological studies (Hydrogeological Conceptual Model)
- Risk assessment
- Remediation optioneering (High Level Remediation Options Appraisal)
- Support for the development of any future PFAS-specific Waste Acceptance Criteria for La Collette landfill
If you would like more information, see both reports as well as a non-technical summary for each. You can also view Government of Jersey's full and initial responses to the report.
Detailed Response to Arcadis Hydrogeological Risk Assessment Report
Government of Jersey Initial Response to Arcadis Hydrogeological Risk Assessment Report
PFAS Hydrogeological Study Phase 2 report, non-technical summary
PFAS Hydrogeological Study Phase 2 report
PFAS Hydrogeological Study Phase 1 report, non-technical summary
PFAS Hydrogeological Study Phase 1 report
Hydrogeological PFAS Steering Group
The Hydrogeological PFAS Steering Group is responsible for shaping, coordinating, and driving the delivery of a coherent PFAS Remediation Strategy that reflects the recommendations of the Arcadis Hydrogeological Study and aligns with the broader Water Quality and Safety Programme.
The Steering Group serves an advisory role and supports transparent, science-led decision-making to ensure long-term protection of public health, Jersey’s water resources and the environment.
The Steering Group membership includes representatives from:
- Government of Jersey
- Ports of Jersey
- Jersey Water
The group will meet every four weeks and convene additional meetings as needed.
For more information, see Terms of Reference for the group.
PFAS testing for report 4
The Independent Scientific Advisory Panel, commissioned by the Government, is undertaking Report 4 - PFAS in the Environment in 2025.
The PFAS testing programme in Jersey is designed to support the Independent Scientific Advisory Panel in understanding the average PFAS exposure of residents through food, water, and environmental sources.
The PFAS testing protocol provides more information on the scope, methodology and how the data will be used.
PFAS Testing Protocol
The PFAS testing results paper shows the levels of PFAS in multiple areas including food, soil, waste and private water supplies.
These tests give us an accurate idea of the levels of PFAS across the Island and in the food supply for the first time. PFAS in food and water is one of the main exposure pathways for humans. PFAS is everywhere in the global environment and some levels are to be expected in food in every country.
In the Jersey testing programme, many samples were below detectable levels completely, with the overwhelming majority of food samples found to have PFAS levels well below relevant EU maximum levels.
The panel has also published its interim report 4, in which it outlines the weekly tolerable intake of PFAS in food and water as identified by global science. It is important to read the testing results alongside the panels interim phase two of report four which can be found at the bottom of this webpage.
PFAS Testing Results
PFAS levels in potatoes from St Ouen's bay
In 2023, potatoes from St Ouen’s Bay were tested in an independent laboratory in the UK for PFAS levels.
The Government of Jersey’s Environmental and Consumer Protection team subsequently informed the field owner that they had no reason to believe that the tested potatoes were unsafe.
Assessment of potatoes grown within St Ouen’s Bay to explore the presence of PFAS
Officer Technical Group
In February 2019, we established an Officer Technical Group. The group oversees a programme of work to understand more about levels of PFAS in water and implications these may have.
The group meets monthly and includes representatives from:
- Environmental and Consumer Protection
- Natural Environment
- Public Health
- Jersey Water
Read the Officer Technical Group's Interim Report for 2019
Read the Officer Technical Group's Interim Report for 2020
Water quality in Jersey 2025
Jersey Water tests both raw and treated water for PFAS, ensuring safe drinking water for the Island.
Their 2025 report shows all water samples meet EU and UK standards for PFAS.
Samples are sent to a external third-party lab in the UK for testing 48 PFAS compounds.
Of these, 40 were not found. Only 8 were detected, all below safety limits.
You can find more details on water quality and efforts to reduce PFAS on Jersey Water: Water Quality Report 2025.
Getting your water tested
Testing for PFAS in water requires technical procedures. It is not part of the normal drinking water suite currently undertaken by the Government of Jersey Official Analyst.
If you want to have your private water supplies tested for PFAS
contact Jersey Water. You'll need to pay a fee.
Newsletters
PFAS newsletter October 2025
PFAS newsletter January 2025
PFAS newsletter August 2024
PFAS newsletter April 2024
To receive a copy of previous newsletters email
RegulationEnquiries@gov.je.
Islander information
PFAS Blood Testing in Jersey: Supporting information to help understand your result
PFOS Briefing on YouTube
gov.je