Kidney Cancer Rates Elevated Near PFAS Plant
A government-commissioned study released last month revealed higher-than-expected rates of kidney cancer in the vicinity of the AGC Chemicals Europe plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire. The factory emitted an estimated 49 tonnes of the carcinogenic chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) between the 1950s and 2012. PFOA, a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) known as forever chemicals, has been linked to kidney cancer in international research. The plant used PFOA to manufacture PTFE, a non-stick coating, before PFOA was banned globally in 2020.
Despite the elevated rates, the study found no evidence of a cancer cluster or direct environmental association. However, experts have described the findings as a major source of concern and called for further investigation, including blood testing.
Local Residents Share Their Stories
Liz Hurst, 47, was diagnosed with kidney cancer at age 32, a rare occurrence for her age and sex. She grew up near the factory and recalls regular cloud burst drills at her primary school to prepare for chemical spills. She later worked in the factory lab as a student. After learning about the contamination in local media, she connected her cancer to potential PFOA exposure. "I just want to know if it has caused my cancer," she said. Hurst has been cancer-free since 2019 after having her left kidney removed.
Alan Hodson, 61, has tended an allotment bordering the factory for five years. After soil tests revealed high PFOA levels—one sample had seven times Belgium's guideline level—the local council decided to close the allotment due to contamination. Hodson has been clearing his plot, throwing away produce he cultivated. "It's like I've got a lead pair of wellies on," he said. "I've not been sleeping. I just think of all that time I spent here – it could've been doing something else."
Contamination Affects Families
Sam Hammond, 48, lives next to the allotment with her five children. Tests showed her garden soil contained 40 times the Belgian guideline level for PFOA. One of her duck's eggs had PFOA levels so high that eating one egg per week would exceed the European safe weekly level by 10 times. Hammond and her children had been eating these eggs daily for years. She has not yet been told what the results mean for her family. "I just think it's disgusting that we've been left in limbo like this," she said. "I've increased my mental health medication."
Wyre Council stated that all agencies involved are committed to transparency and that the Environment Agency (EA) plans to contact residents once formal conclusions are reached. A spokesperson added: "We are working closely with our partner agencies to ensure the process moves forward as quickly as possible."
Legal Action and Expert Concerns
In the US, PFAS contamination has led to billion-dollar settlements. In Europe, environmental law NGO ClientEarth filed a complaint on July 8 against the Belgian government for failing to protect people from PFAS pollution. In Thornton-Cleveleys, law firm Leigh Day has written to AGC Chemicals Europe about a potential claim on behalf of Hammond for loss of enjoyment of her land and personal injuries. Over 90 residents have expressed interest in legal action, with 50 accessing blood tests over the summer.
AGC Chemicals Europe responded: "We take our responsibilities very seriously. The multi-agency Health Cell report concluded there was no evidence of a statistically significant kidney cancer cluster, no clustering of cases close to our site, and no indication of a link to environmental levels." The company also stated it was not involved in the cloud burst drills referenced by Hurst.
