An investigation has uncovered alarmingly high levels of toxic forever chemicals, known as PFAS, at several airports across England, with concentrations in some cases thousands of times higher than proposed European safety thresholds.
Environmental experts are warning about the potential risks to drinking water sources.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of around 10,000 synthetic chemicals that persist in the environment and are linked to serious health issues, including certain cancers. While they are used in a range of products such as non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing, one of their most common applications is in firefighting foams – widely used at airports.
The highest PFAS levels recorded were at London Luton Airport, where groundwater samples from a fire training lagoon contained 36,084 nanograms per litre. This figure is approximately 8,000 times higher than the draft EU safety limit of 4.4ng/l for total PFAS. Some of the detected substances, including PFOS and PFOA, are banned due to their toxicity and links to cancer.
Another sample from Luton revealed 2,555ng/l of PFAS, with PFOS and PFOA present at levels far exceeding European proposals for safe drinking water. Currently, the UK has no legally enforceable limits for PFAS in ground or surface water.
Out of 17 airports tested, four are located in protected drinking water safeguard zones, where additional measures are in place to prevent contamination. At Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, which lies within such a zone, PFOS levels reached 180ng/l – significantly above the UK Drinking Water Inspectorate’s guideline level of 100ng/l for total PFAS.
Although elevated PFAS levels in these samples do not automatically indicate contamination of public water supplies, experts stress that the risk increases if there are pathways for chemicals to migrate into water sources.
PFAS contamination from airports has previously caused drinking water crises in other locations. In Jersey, residents were advised to undergo bloodletting after private wells were polluted by firefighting foams used at the island’s airport. In France, an entire region had to withdraw drinking water supplies due to PFAS from an airport site.
UK airports are currently spending millions to investigate and address PFAS contamination, working alongside the Environment Agency and local communities to prevent the chemicals from entering watercourses or the food chain.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is reviewing chemical regulations under UK REACH and is considering restrictions on PFAS use in firefighting foams to strengthen environmental protections.
PFAS contamination at UK airports is now being recognised as an emerging environmental challenge, with campaigners calling for enforceable national limits, better monitoring, and stronger regulatory action to safeguard drinking water and public health.
