Home / Environment / Authorities Expand Testing to Validate Earlier PFOA Findings Near Former ICI Plant
Authorities Expand Testing to Validate Earlier PFOA Findings Near Former ICI Plant
7 Oct
Summary
- More land identified as "higher priority" for testing
- Sampling to be done at "lower risk" locations to validate earlier results
- Authorities committed to acting "swiftly and efficiently"
As of October 7th, 2025, authorities have announced plans to expand testing efforts around a former ICI plant in the area. More land to the south-east of the existing testing zone has been identified as a "higher priority" and will now be examined.
Additionally, sampling will be undertaken at locations considered to be at "lower risk" in order to help validate the earlier results. These include areas to the south, west, and north-west of the facility, as well as the Sandringham Avenue allotments.
The organizations involved, including Wyre Council and the Environment Agency, have stated that they are committed to acting "as swiftly and efficiently as possible" to address the situation. They have explained that their investigations typically move forward in stages, with each step providing a deeper understanding of the circumstances.
Last year, after previous testing, Wyre District Council had warned local residents not to consume fruit and vegetables grown in the soil near the site due to concerns about PFOA contamination. AGC Chemicals Europe, which took over part of the ICI plant, has previously stated that it stopped using PFOA in 2012 and that 40 years of monitoring showed "no significant impact" from emissions.
