Leigh Day Communities and Contamination event in Leeds highlights urgent need for regulatory reform and community action

The event was split into three parts consisting of two panels, one on contamination another on the communities affected by pollution, and a keynote speech from a leading expert on PFAS chemicals and their health impacts. 

Contamination Panel: What, Where, How? 

The event opened with a panel on Contamination, chaired by Leigh Day senior associate Charlotte Armstrong. The session explored the scale and complexity of PFAS pollution in the UK. 

• Dr Anna Watson, Director of Policy and Advocacy at CHEM Trust, explained the chemical properties of PFAS and their persistence in the environment. She highlighted that there are over 10,000 known contamination sites in the UK. Dr Watson called for the UK to match EU proposals to regulate PFAS as a group and adopt the polluter pays principle. 

• Professor Alistair Boxall, Environmental Scientist at the University of York, presented findings from the ECOMIX project, which detected thousands of chemical pollutants in Yorkshire’s rivers. His research revealed the presence of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics and PFAS in watercourses like the River Aire and River Wharfe, with documented effects on aquatic species.

• Pippa Neill, News Editor at ENDS Report, shared insights from her investigative reporting on PFAS pollution across the UK. She emphasised the role of journalism in uncovering contamination hotspots and holding polluters and regulators to account. 

Communities Panel: What Can We Do? 

The second panel focused on Communities was chaired by Leigh Day partner Sarah Moore and highlighted grassroots activism and the legal strategies available to those affected by PFAS and chemical pollution. 

• Nienke Blauw, an activist from the Netherlands, shared her personal experience of living near PFAS production sites and the community-led fight for justice. She described widespread contamination in Dutch towns and the mobilisation of residents through protests, legal complaints and media exposure. 

• Tim Cooke-Hurle, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, outlined the legal avenues available to communities, including judicial reviews and group claims. He stressed the importance of strategic litigation in driving environmental accountability. 

• Dr Roxana Willis, Assistant Professor of Law at LSE, explored the intersection of environmental justice and human rights, arguing that chemical pollution disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and requires a rights-based response. She spoke about her own experience growing up in Corby, a town well-known for its polluted industrial legacy. 

Keynote: PFAS and Public Health 

The event concluded with a keynote speech by Professor Tony Fletcher, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Drawing on decades of research, including his work as an expert on the C8 Science Panel and in Jersey and Sweden, Professor Fletcher detailed the health risks associated with PFAS exposure –  including links to cancer, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol. He presented evidence on interventions to reduce the impacts of PFAS on humans, such as bile acid sequestrants, and called for urgent action to prevent exposure at the source. 

Reflecting on the event, Leigh Day partner Sarah Moore said: 

“Bringing together such a diverse and passionate group of experts, campaigners and community voices was a powerful reminder of the scale of the challenge we face –  but also of the energy and determination driving change. The conversations we had in Leeds will help shape our legal and advocacy work going forward, and we’re proud to stand alongside those fighting for cleaner environments and safer futures.”