Chemical Plant Closure Follows Discovery of High 'Forever Chemical' Levels in Residents
Blood tests reveal elevated PFOA levels in nearly 70% of residents near a UK factory that manufactured cancer-causing chemicals.
Dozens of residents near a factory in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, have been found with high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a cancer-causing forever chemical, raising concerns about their health. Of 49 residents tested, nearly 70% showed PFOA levels that could put them at increased risk of adverse health effects, according to guidelines from the US and Germany.
One individual reportedly had the highest recorded level of a synthetic chemical in their blood ever found in the UK. Residents have been informed that the substance, which was used in the factory to manufacture coatings for frying pans until 2012, puts them at risk of serious illness. PFOA has been banned in the UK since 2020 and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization.
The Environment Agency and Wyre Council have been investigating the area surrounding the AGC Chemicals factory since 2024, finding elevated levels of PFOA in soil, eggs, and locally grown vegetables.
Residents have expressed distress over the findings. One individual, identified only as Sam, told the BBC that her family's results were "ridiculously off the scale" and expressed guilt about potentially passing the chemical to her children through breastfeeding. Another resident, Andrew Molloy, whose home was built on former factory land, was surprised by his high-risk results, having experienced persistent health problems within his family.
More than 100 residents are reportedly considering legal action against AGC Chemicals to seek damages for the contamination. Marion Panteli described feeling "constricted, like I'm in a cage now" after learning about the potential risks, which may require her to restrict her children's access to their garden.
AGC Chemicals has stated that the multi-agency investigation is ongoing and that no formal determination of land contamination has been made. The company also noted that the site manufactured chemicals before AGC Chemicals was established there.
Earlier in September 2026, AGC Chemicals announced the factory would close later this year, citing a volatile and competitive market as the reason for the site's non-viability.
The UK does not currently have recommendations for acceptable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in people, unlike the US and Germany.