Kidney cancer rates near Pfas factory in Lancashire a ‘major source of concern’

Kidney cancer rates near a factory emitting perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in Lancashire have become a major source of concern, with experts questioning the findings of a government-funded study. The AGC Chemicals Europe factory in Thornton-Cleveleys, north of Blackpool, emitted approximately 49 tonnes of PFOA into the air between the 1950s and 2012. PFOA is a known carcinogenic "forever chemical" that was globally banned in 2020. The factory ceased using PFOA in 2012. The study's conclusions regarding the cancer rates in the vicinity of the factory are now under scrutiny by independent experts. These experts are casting doubt on the methodology and outcomes presented in the government-commissioned research, suggesting that the potential link between the factory's emissions and the observed cancer rates requires further, more rigorous investigation. The long-term presence and widespread environmental impact of PFOA, a persistent chemical, underscore the significance of these concerns for public health in the region.