‘Forever chemicals’ in school uniforms could be banned under proposed law

July 3, 2025

Read the full article by Damien Gayle (The Guardian)

"The volume of microplastics and potentially harmful “forever chemicals” in school uniforms should be restricted, experts have said, as they urge peers to back two amendments to a crucial bill.

The children’s wellbeing and schools bill, which applies mainly to England and Wales and is at committee stage in the House of Lords, is poised to introduce new regulation on the cost of school uniform items, as well as the number of branded uniform items schools can require pupils to wear.

But emerging evidence of the environmental and human health risks of synthetic fibres and Pfas “forever chemicals”, which are used as stain and water resistance agents, has led to concerns about the fabrics and chemicals used in their manufacture. Pfas, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is an umbrella term for a family of thousands of chemicals that degrade extremely slowly. Some have been linked to health problems including high cholesterol, fertility issues, immune system disorders, kidney disease, birth defects, some cancers and a range of other serious health problems."