Concern over "forever chemical" exposure is escalating in England's Lancashire County after blood tests showed most residents sampled near a chemical plant had elevated levels of PFOA, a banned substance associated with cancer risk.
The results add another dimension to an investigation into the Hillhouse manufacturing site in the village of Thornton-Cleveleys.
Here's what to know
Not one of the 49 residents whose blood was tested fell below 2 nanograms per milliliter for PFOA, the low-risk band, while 69% exceeded 20 nanograms per milliliter, which law firm Leigh Day said placed them in a high-risk category, The Independent reported.
Used in products such as food packaging, waterproof clothing, pesticides, and nonstick cookware, PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they linger in the environment for extremely long periods. PFOA is one member of that chemical family.
Leigh Day said it chose people for the testing program by looking at how close they lived to the facility, how long they had been there, and whether they ate locally grown food. The Hillhouse site, currently operated by AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd. and formerly run by ICI, used PFOA from the 1950s until 2012.
"The results of our testing project in Thornton-Cleveleys are hugely concerning," Sarah Moore, partner at Leigh Day, said, per The Independent. "They are a reminder that PFAS contamination has a human impact, not just an environmental one. The available evidence suggests that PFAS exposure can lead to serious health impacts, including cancers, when it reaches elevated levels. Those levels have already been exceeded in Thornton-Cleveleys and it is now the community that is paying the price of that exposure in terms of potential health effects, restrictions on what they can grow and eat locally, and the value of their properties."
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More background
Residents living within one kilometer (0.6 miles) of the site have been told by the Food Standards Agency not to eat home-produced eggs, after tests suggested that a single egg each week could reach or surpass the weekly safety limit. The agency also advised washing and peeling any home-grown produce before eating it to remove soil that could contain PFOA.
Amid concerns that PFOA from the site may have contaminated nearby land, Wyre Council began a multi-agency investigation in 2024. Some allotments were also closed temporarily while the contamination worries were being examined.
Leigh Day said three-quarters of residents who consumed home-grown fruit and vegetables were classified as high risk. It also reported above-average PFOA readings among those living within 1 kilometer of the industrial site.
What's being done?
AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd. said it was aware of the blood testing initiative and the worries it may have raised for local residents. A spokesperson for the company cited the UK Government's view that PFAS blood testing did not forecast future health issues, per The Independent, saying that because the wider investigation is ongoing, "We cannot speculate on future outcomes or next steps."
Moore argued that the issue requires a faster response. "The government has promised increased engagement and regulation of PFAS contamination, but as yet nothing has been done," she said. "The situation in Thornton-Cleveleys is a reminder that action should be taken now."
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at similar PFAS contamination concerns in communities near industrial sites.
• In France's Chemical Valley, residents filed a mass PFAS lawsuit after contamination and illness fears.
• In North Carolina, gardens near Chemours showed dangerous PFAS in produce eaten by residents.
• Across several countries, testing found alarming PFAS in drinking water, deepening worries about daily exposure.
• Scientists found dangerous chemicals laced through foods, reinforcing how PFAS exposure can reach dinner tables.
• Researchers linked PFAS exposure to increased brain cell death, heightening concern over long-term health effects.
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