Matthew has gone underwater to see for himself how chemicals are impacting wildlife in the UK.

Scuba diving in an undisclosed location, Matthew looked at the level of Marl and Sea Grass coverage on the seabed. This has been damaged by a variety of actions affecting the environment, particularly chemical pollution.

Chemical pollution is now found in all water on Earth, harming wildlife from the North to South Pole and everywhere in between. PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) also known as ‘forever chemicals’, are just one group of ocean poisons containing thousands of individual chemicals. 

In 2020, Matthew hosted an event in Parliament in which he hosted producers from the film ‘Dark Waters’.

Back in February 2020, Matthew asked the Government about PFAS chemicals and was told that DEFRA would seek to improve the understanding of the risks of PFAS in the UK. This would then be managed through the Chemicals Strategy. In the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government committed to publish an overarching Chemicals Strategy to set out the UK’s approach as the UK has left the EU’s REACH programme but Matthew is concerned that this has still not happened.

Matthew said “For several years I have been pushing the Government to publish its plans to address the problem of ‘forever chemicals’ in our waters. Further action needs to be taken and in a timely manner and I will continue to raise this issue.

"I often hear claims that the ocean is valued but talk is cheap - real action is needed to address this problem.”