PFAS in the UK: What Australia’s experience teaches about building public trust

PFAS contamination is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s most complex environmental issues with growing public concern and scrutiny. As the government releases its first national PFAS Plan, it faces the same dilemma Australia confronted a decade ago: scientific uncertainty, rising public concern, and the risk of eroding trust if engagement is mishandled.

As PFAS contamination issues emerge in the UK, the government has responded with its first-ever PFAS Plan, unveiled in February 2026. This plan provides a coordinated framework for action, from tracing PFAS sources to reducing public exposure and importantly, acknowledges the need to work “in partnership with … local communities”.

Meanwhile, Australia has been grappling with PFAS for nearly a decade, after high-profile contamination crises brought the issue into the national spotlight in the mid-2010s. In response, Australian authorities implemented comprehensive management strategies, including a national remediation framework and robust community engagement programmes. This approach combines science-led policy with people-centred engagement, a model forged through experience and one that offers valuable lessons for countries like the UK as they begin to confront PFAS challenges.

As engagement professionals who have led community engagement on multiple PFAS sites across Australia for almost a decade, we’ve seen first-hand what works – and what doesn’t – when engaging the public on this complex issue.

Australia’s journey offers valuable lessons for the UK. British regulators, companies, and communities can benefit from these insights to handle PFAS proactively and collaboratively. In particular, Australia’s best practices, encapsulated by an “Engage, Communicate, Facilitate (E.C.F)” approach, show how early and genuine engagement can build trust, guide effective action, and prevent “forever chemicals” from becoming a forever headache.

We’ve outlined below some of the key principles that have shaped Australia’s approach and which we believe are just as relevant here in the UK. From civilian airports to regional townships, these principles consistently reduced conflict, improved community relationships, and supported faster, more effective decision‑making.

• Be proactive, not reactive: Share information early. Getting ahead of the story with clear, factual updates builds trust and prevents misinformation from taking hold.
• Know your purpose: Every engagement should have a clear objective. Whether it’s informing, consulting, or responding to concerns, clarity of purpose shapes effective communication.
• Know your audience: Different groups have different concerns. Tailor your approach to reflect the values, fears, and needs of each community.
• Communicate clearly, honestly and consistently: Avoid jargon, acknowledge uncertainty, and ensure all agencies are aligned in their messaging.
• Prioritise face-to-face engagement: In-person conversations – whether at town drop-ins, or kitchen tables, build trust and allow for real dialogue.
• Learn and adapt: Engagement is not a one-off event. Evaluate, listen, and refine your approach as the situation evolves.

As the UK embarks on its PFAS journey, it has a unique opportunity to shape its response with foresight and integrity. Australia’s experience shows that while technical solutions are essential, they must be matched with meaningful, transparent, and sustained engagement with the communities most affected.

At Layton Consulting and ECF, we’ve spent the better part of a decade working alongside Australian communities, regulators, and industry to navigate the complexities of PFAS. We’ve seen how early missteps such as slow communication, inconsistent messaging, and fragmented agency coordination can erode trust quickly. Conversely, when engagement is done well, communities become partners, not opponents.

The UK’s PFAS Plan is a strong foundation. But to truly succeed, it must be underpinned by a commitment to community engagement that is as robust as its scientific and regulatory frameworks. We stand ready to support this effort by bringing proven strategies, practical tools, and deep experience to help ensure that the UK’s response to PFAS is not only effective, but trusted.

If you’re shaping the UK’s PFAS response, whether designing policy, preparing for site engagement, or supporting community‑facing teams, we can help you start strong, avoid predictable pitfalls, and build lasting trust.

Let’s ensure that “forever chemicals” don’t leave a legacy of mistrust. Let’s lead with clarity, compassion, and collaboration and get this right from the start.

Melanie Layton is one of Australia’s leading stakeholder engagement professionals in PFAS contamination. Prior to relocating to the UK in 2025, she was a Technical Director at a global engineering and environmental consultancy, where she led the communication and stakeholder engagement activities at civilian airports across Australia as part of Airservices Australia’s National PFAS Characterisation Programme. Her work involved engaging with diverse communities, airport operators, and government stakeholders to support transparent, coordinated responses to PFAS contamination at complex, high-profile sites. ECF work closely with Mel on stakeholder engagement related to PFAS, and our co-founder, Kathy Jones, has a long history of working on the topic in Australia.