Imagine asbestos in the air and lead in the water — at the same time, from the same factory. That's what PFAS is.
You are looking at the largest known legally-permitted PFAS point-source discharge to water in Europe. The same site that released 178 tonnes of PFOA over six decades is now discharging 800kg per year of a replacement chemical into the River Wyre.
The Basics — What Is PFAS?
PFAS stands for "per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances" — a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that don't break down naturally. They're called "forever chemicals" because they persist in the environment and human body for thousands of years.
The simple truth: PFAS are synthetic chemicals that accumulate everywhere they go — in soil, water, plants, animals, and people. No safe level of exposure has ever been established by any regulatory body worldwide.
Why You Should Care
In December 2023, the World Health Organization classified PFOA — the main chemical discharged at Hillhouse for 60 years — as a Group 1 carcinogen. That puts it in the same category as asbestos and tobacco smoke.
Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), December 2023PFAS vs Lead and Asbestos
| Chemical | Time to Break Down | When We Knew It Was Dangerous | When We Banned It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead in petrol | 100-300 years | 1920s | 1999 (UK) |
| Asbestos | 1,000+ years | 1930s | 1999 (UK) |
| PFOA | 1,000+ years | 1960s | 2020 (EU) |
| EEA-NH4 | 1,000+ years | Still being discharged | Not banned |
The pattern: "Either confirmed carcinogenic, or never tested enough to rule it out."
They Didn't Fix It. They Rebranded It.
When PFOA was phased out in 2012, AGC didn't stop discharging PFAS. They switched to EEA-NH4 — a replacement chemical that:
- Is classified as "reprotoxic" (harmful to fertility and development)
- Has never been properly tested for cancer risk
- Is described by experts as a "regrettable substitute"
- Is being discharged at 800kg per year into the River Wyre
The Numbers — What We're Dealing With
Historic PFOA (1950s–2012)
- Total discharged: 178,000 kg (178 tonnes)
- To air: 49,100 kg
- To water: 54,300 kg
- To landfill: 6,200 kg
- Incinerated: 5,100 kg
- Sent to customers: 63,300 kg
Key fact: AGC never manufactured PFOA on site. They imported it for 60+ years and discharged it into your environment.
Source: AGC self-reported data via Environment Agency Permit EPR/BU5453IYCurrent EEA-NH4 Discharge
- Annual discharge: ~800 kg per year
- Daily average: ~2.2 kg per day
- Destination: River Wyre
- Status: Legally permitted
Water Contamination Levels (2022)
- PFOA detected: 12,000-20,624 ng/L in discharge to River Wyre
- EU considering: 4.4 ng/L as safe standard for 24 PFAS combined
- Our levels: 206 times higher than proposed EU standard (for PFOA alone)
- Total PFAS types: 700+ different chemicals in single sample
- Total PFAS concentration: 400,000 ng/L
Context: These are among the highest PFAS concentrations ever recorded in environmental samples globally.
Source: Watershed Investigations water analysis, February 2023Comparison with Other Sites
What They Don't Tell You
The Import vs Manufacture Distinction
AGC repeatedly states they "never manufactured PFOA or EEA-NH4 on site." This is technically true, but misleading.
What actually happened:
- AGC imported PFOA for 60+ years (1950s-2012)
- Used it as a "processing aid" in their operations
- Discharged the waste into air and water
- When PFOA was banned, switched to importing EEA-NH4 instead
- No reduction in environmental impact — just a different chemical
"Stopped Using" vs "Stopped Importing"
AGC says they "stopped using PFOA in 2012." But if they stopped 10+ years ago:
- Why was PFOA at 20,624 ng/L in their 2022 discharge?
- Where is this PFOA still coming from?
- AGC has never confirmed they "stopped importing" PFOA
EEA-NH4: The Ignored Chemical
Despite EEA-NH4 being discharged at 800kg/year since 2012:
- It's not included in official soil testing programs
- No analytical standard exists for environmental testing
- Independent researcher Dr David Megson had to develop his own testing method
- When he tested, he found it in soils around the plant
"There's a giant chunk of toxic material that's just being completely ignored." — Dr David MegsonSource: Guardian/Watershed Investigations, 2023; Dr David Megson, Manchester Metropolitan University
Regulatory Double Standards
The Environment Agency requires monitoring of the chemical they've stopped using, but not the one they're currently using.
Health — What the Science Says
PFAS-Associated Health Conditions
Based on peer-reviewed research and regulatory classifications:
Cancer:
- Testicular cancer
- Kidney cancer
- PFOA officially classified as Group 1 carcinogen (WHO, December 2023)
Endocrine System:
- Thyroid disease
- Reduced fertility
- Developmental problems
Immune System:
- Reduced vaccine response
- Increased infection susceptibility
- Suppressed immune function
Other Systems:
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Liver damage
- Low birth weight
- Ulcerative colitis
Important: These are associations from large population studies, not individual diagnoses.
Sources: WHO/IARC Monograph 135, December 2023; EFSA Scientific Opinion on PFAS, September 2020; C8 Science Panel findingsLocal Cancer Statistics
Note: Cancer rates can be influenced by many factors including age, deprivation, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. Higher rates don't prove causation, but they warrant investigation.
Source: BBC News, 30 June 2025 — compiled from NHS data via Ribble Rivers Trust (2021 figures)What Your GP Needs to Know
Currently, there is no routine NHS pathway for PFAS blood testing. If you're concerned about PFAS exposure:
Ask your GP about:
- Documenting your address and length of residence
- Recording any relevant symptoms or health changes
- Whether they can refer to environmental health or public health
- Keeping records for potential future biomonitoring programs
What to mention:
- You live within 1km of the AGC Chemicals site
- The site has discharged PFOA and PFAS for 70+ years
- Multiple agencies are investigating soil and food contamination
- You're following precautionary advice but want exposure documented
What You Can Do
Official Advice — And What It Doesn't Cover
What Wyre Council advises:
- Don't eat eggs from poultry kept within 1km of the AGC site
- Wash and peel vegetables grown locally
- Wash hands after gardening or soil contact
What the official advice doesn't address:
- The 1km exclusion zone has no published scientific basis. No dispersion modelling has been shared publicly to justify this boundary.
- In comparable cases, exclusion zones were expanded repeatedly. In Zwijndrecht, Belgium, 3M's zone went from 3km to all of Flanders. In Veneto, Italy, the zone expanded multiple times.
- The advice covers food only. It says nothing about inhalation exposure from airborne PFAS — which has been detected up to 20km from the plant.
- No blood testing has been offered to any resident. In Belgium and Italy, population-wide biomonitoring was initiated. In Thornton-Cleveleys, nothing.
- EEA-NH4 isn't mentioned. The replacement chemical currently being discharged at 800kg/year is not covered in any official health advice.
We are not telling you to ignore the council's advice. Follow it. But understand it represents the minimum response, not a comprehensive assessment of risk.
Water Filtration
If you want additional protection, reverse osmosis (RO) systems are most effective at removing PFAS from drinking water.
- Carbon filters provide some reduction
- Standard water filters (Brita-type) provide minimal PFAS removal
- RO systems remove 95-99% of PFAS but are more expensive
Note: This is personal choice, not official recommendation.
Stay Informed
- Subscribe to updates: Wyre Council mailing list
- Email: [email protected] for investigation queries
- Attend community meetings: Wyre Council holds periodic drop-in sessions at Thornton Cleveleys Football Club, Gamble Road
Political Action
Contact your MP:
- Lorraine Beavers MP (Blackpool North and Cleveleys)
- Parliament is aware of Hillhouse situation through multiple select committee submissions
- UK Government announced new PFAS action plan (February 2026)
Legal Options
Group litigation:
- Leigh Day law firm is investigating potential group action
- Website: https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/blog/2024-blogs/pfas-pollution-near-blackpool-will-it-last-forever/
- Similar cases have resulted in significant settlements elsewhere
Document Everything
Keep records of:
- When you moved to the area
- Any health changes since moving
- Garden use and homegrown food consumption
- Dates of official communications and advice
Why: Future compensation schemes or biomonitoring programs may require proof of exposure period and health timeline.
Sources and Verification
All information on this site is sourced from:
Official government reports
(Environment Agency, Wyre Council, Food Standards Agency)
Peer-reviewed scientific research
(published in academic journals)
AGC's own self-reported data
(via environmental permits and official statements)
Independent investigative journalism
(Guardian/Watershed Investigations with documented methodology)
Key Documents
- Wyre Council Phase 2 Factual Report (2025) — soil contamination results
- Environment Agency EEA-NH4 Risk Assessment (April 2023)
- Food Standards Agency Egg Testing Results (February 2026)
- WHO/IARC PFOA Classification (December 2023)
- Watershed Investigations Water Analysis (2022-2023)
- Megson et al. Chemosphere 2024 — independent PFAS analysis
- AGC Environmental Permit Applications (via Environment Agency)
Fact-Checking Promise
Every factual claim on this site can be traced to a specific source document. If you find an error or want to verify a claim:
- All source materials are public documents
- Citations include document names and dates
- We will correct errors and note corrections clearly
No Hidden Agenda
This site:
- Takes no money from any organization
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- Has no commercial interests
- Exists solely to make public information accessible to local residents
About This Site
Why "Hillhouse Watch"? This site exists because residents deserve access to accurate, verifiable information about environmental issues affecting their community. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we believe you have the right to know what the official reports actually say.
Updates and Corrections: This site will be updated as new information becomes available. All changes are recorded on the changelog.
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