Key facts
- AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd is consulting on closing its manufacturing plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire.
- The closure would affect 190 employees and 18 agency staff.
- The company cited four years of financial and operational challenges leading to losses.
- The factory is being investigated for historic emissions of Pfoa, a chemical linked to kidney cancer.
- Over 90 residents are involved in a potential legal claim over contamination.
- Two allotment sites near the factory have been shut down due to contamination.
AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd has announced plans to close its manufacturing plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, a move that would affect 190 employees and 18 agency staff. The company is currently consulting with employees and union representatives, with the process expected to last at least 45 days. The firm stated that the proposal stems from significant financial and operational challenges that have resulted in losses for the past four years.
The factory is at the center of an investigation into its historic emissions of perfluorooctanoic acid (Pfoa), a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (Pfas) linked to kidney cancer. Pfoa was used at the site to produce PTFE, a chemical commonly used in non-stick coatings. Global regulations banned Pfoa in 2020.
Between the 1950s and 2012, the facility is estimated to have emitted 49 tonnes of Pfoa. Investigations by the Environment Agency and local council have revealed widespread soil contamination, leading to advice for residents to wash and peel homegrown produce and avoid locally sourced eggs. Two allotment sites near the factory have been closed.
Recent findings from a government-commissioned study indicated higher-than-expected rates of kidney cancer in the vicinity of the plant, though the study found no evidence of a cancer cluster or environmental link. Experts have expressed concern and called for further investigation, including blood testing.
More than 90 residents have signed up to be involved in a potential legal claim, with law firm Leigh Day investigating the viability of action on behalf of residents like Sam Hammond, whose duck eggs showed high levels of Pfoa contamination. The claim is associated with the loss of enjoyment and usage of land, as well as potential personal injuries. In the US, similar Pfas contamination issues have led to billion-dollar settlements.
AGC Chemicals Europe stated it takes its responsibilities to employees, the community, and the environment seriously. The company indicated that if manufacturing ceases, it remains committed to regulatory compliance, including maintaining staff for environmental permit compliance and monitoring. The firm stopped using Pfoa in 2012 but continues to produce and emit another Pfas chemical, EEA-NH4, which the Health and Safety Executive is considering classifying as a possible carcinogen.