Tests find high chemical levels in 69% of 49 people near a Lancashire factory

Blood tests of 49 people in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, found high levels of PFOA in about seven out of ten. PFOA is a chemical once used at a nearby factory to make a layer for frying pans. It belongs to a group called PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” because they do not break down easily.

Tests by Manchester Metropolitan University found that 69% of residents had more than 20 nanograms of PFOA in each millilitre of blood. A US guide treats this as a high-risk level. The average was 26 nanograms per millilitre, and the highest result was over 400 nanograms per millilitre. The UK has no recommended blood level for PFAS. “I felt sick,” said Dr David Megson, the chemist who did the tests.

The Environment Agency and Wyre Council have checked the area since 2024. They found PFOA in soil, eggs and local vegetables. Their work points to the AGC Chemicals factory as a likely source; it used PFOA until 2012. Two allotments have closed, but no formal decision has been made that the land is contaminated.

A high result does not mean someone will become ill, and UK health officials say blood tests cannot predict future health. More than 100 residents are considering one legal case together against AGC Chemicals. Their lawyers may seek money for health risks, lower home values and limits on how residents use their land. The tests show exposure, but questions about its source and effects remain.