Reported by BBC Science
Forever chemicals - or PFAS - can enter the human body after leaking into soil and waterways
The government is launching its first study into the levels of so-called 'forever chemicals' in the UK population.
By taking blood and urine samples, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) hopes to gain a better understanding of any potential health risks caused by the substances also known as PFAS, as well as other potential contaminants like lead and arsenic.
More from the original report
It said current evidence suggested the possible health impacts associated with PFAS are likely to be limited, but said the strongest links found in large population groups have been to raised cholesterol and lower birth weights.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been used prolifically since the 1940s and 1950s because they are resistant to water, oil and heat.
It is why they have been placed in thousands of items such as pots and pans, clothing and foams used to fight fires.
But because they do not break down easily in the environment - hence the name 'forever chemicals' - they have raised health concerns in recent years.
Two are already banned in the UK - PFOA and PFOS - because prolonged exposure to them can increase the risk of cancer, according to the World Health Organization. , external
But the study of PFAS is an emerging field with more than 15,000 types to research.
The UKHSA will take blood and urine samples collected through the existing Health Survey for England , external to establish baseline levels of PFAS, lead, arsenic, bisphenols, phthalates and flame retardants in the population.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio 4's Inside Health, Dr Edward Wynne-Evans, director of radiation, chemicals, climate and environmental hazards at the UKHSA, said there are gaps around "what different levels of exposure mean for an individual's long-term health".
There are growing concerns among people living near sites where there has been contamination from the two known toxic PFAS, and they have chosen to get individual blood tests.
In September, blood tests found "really high levels" of one of the cancer-causing forever chemicals (PFOA)…