Emerging contaminants, such as PFAS, are increasingly important considerations as we explore environmental risk and consider the future of scientific approaches to the environment.

In this webinar, Paul Nathanail will describe the characteristics of emerging contaminants of concern, explore how our existing policy and technical tools can deal with them, and provide reassurance that the UK approach to contaminated land management is comprehensive and robust enough to ensure that new development is safe and that unacceptable risk to current land use is identified and dealt with. As well as delving into why most PFAS are rightly considered "emerging", while some are not, Paul will explore other emerging substances of concern to ensure that, at the very least, Preliminary Risk Assessments consider them.

This event has been organised as part of the IES's Future of ES23 horizon scanning & foresight project. 

About the speaker

Paul Nathanail, Director of Land Quality Management Ltd 

Paul Nathanail is a Chartered Geologist and Specialist in Land Condition. He is a director of specialist contaminated land consultancy Land Quality Management Ltd (LQM), chairs the board of directors of SILC Register Ltd and also chairs his local neighbourhood forum.

He is currently leading the team drafting the CIRIA guidance on PFAS in soil and water and is deputy chair of the NICOLE PFAS working group. Paul has over 30 years experience in land contamination and has seen emerging contaminants... emerge.