FAQ's
Why might PFAS be found in people’s blood?
PFAS are widely present in the environment and in everyday products. Many people in the UK are therefore likely to have measurable levels of some PFAS in their blood. Exposure can come from several sources, including food, drinking water, air, dust and consumer products.
What does a PFAS blood test show?
A PFAS blood test may show that exposure has occurred, but it cannot usually identify where the exposure came from, when it happened or what effect it may have on a person’s health.
Can a PFAS blood test predict future health problems?
No. Current tests cannot predict whether a person will develop a health problem in the future. The potential health effects of PFAS exposure remain uncertain, and research is continuing.
Should residents arrange a PFAS blood test?
PFAS blood tests are not currently recommended because a test is unlikely to provide clear or clinically useful information. The test is not currently available on the NHS. PFAS are widespread in the environment, and exposure can come from many sources, including food, drinking water, air and everyday products. A blood test cannot identify where exposure came from, predict future health problems or determine the cause of an existing health condition.
Is my “high” result due to emissions from the nearby AGC site?
Many people in the UK are likely to have measurable levels of PFAS in their blood. Because PFAS are widespread in the environment, test results may reflect exposure from many sources, including food, drinking water, air and everyday products. A test result cannot identify where the exposure came from.
I have been told my PFAS blood results are high. Should I be worried about my health, and is there anything I should do?
We understand that people may feel concerned after receiving their biomonitoring results.
Many people in the UK are likely to have measurable levels of PFAS in their blood. Biomonitoring can show that PFAS are present, but it cannot predict whether someone will develop health problems in the future or determine the cause of an existing health condition.
Evidence suggests that potential interventions to improve health outcomes remain uncertain, and should not be pursued without specialist clinical advice and oversight.
If you develop the following symptoms: bloody diarrhoea, blood in your wee or testicular lumps, please contact your GP or NHS 111 for assessment and care in the usual way. Your symptoms will be assessed and any appropriate care arranged through standard NHS pathways.
My cholesterol level is high. Is this linked to the site?
A PFAS blood result cannot determine the cause of raised cholesterol or establish whether it is linked to the site. Anyone concerned about their cholesterol should speak to their GP, who can assess established risk factors and advise on appropriate care.
How should the US guidance and the term “high” be interpreted?
The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is an independent, non-governmental organisation that was asked to provide advice to the
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on PFAS testing and clinical care. Organisations commissioned independently by a law firm have used this guidance to interpret blood samples collected from residents living near the Thornton-Cleveleys site.
A number of international health-based guidance values and human biomonitoring values are available. However, as outlined by the Committee on Toxicity, there are significant uncertainties in the evidence about the potential health risks of PFAS, which should be considered when interpreting these values.
What does the latest evidence say about health effects?
A UK Health Security Agency rapid evidence review considered 35 international cohort studies published between 2005 and 2025. It concluded that there is currently inadequate evidence to determine whether long-term PFAS exposure from local industrial or manufacturing sites causes adverse health effects in nearby communities.
Did the review identify any possible associations?
The review found evidence suggesting an association between PFOS, and PFAS mixtures containing PFOS, and lower birthweight. However, the review said any measurable effect would be unlikely to be detectable in local communities in England because low and very low birthweight are uncommon. For many other outcomes, including heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, some pregnancy and birth outcomes, and autoimmune diseases, there was not enough evidence to determine whether they were linked to PFAS exposure.
What further research is UKHSA doing?
UKHSA-funded researchers and academic partners are carrying out experimental work to improve our understanding of likely exposures. UKHSA will keep the evidence under review and update its public health advice if needed.
Why was biomonitoring undertaken in Jersey?
The Government of Jersey’s PFAS biomonitoring and intervention approach was recommended specifically for a defined group of people who had been exposed to PFAS by drinking water from known contaminated private supplies. Biomonitoring was not offered in Jersey as a screening method for the general public.