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Forever Chemicals Found at Former Fuel Depot Site
10 Oct
Summary
- Barrels of PFAS firefighting foam liquid found at Islip Fuel Depot.
- Developer Newcore disputes campaigner's contamination test results.
- PFOS levels found by campaigners were 205 times safe limit.
Barrels of firefighting foam liquid, identified as containing PFAS chemicals often referred to as 'forever chemicals,' were found at the former Islip Fuel Depot in Oxfordshire. The site, previously an RAF and Esso fuel storage facility, has outline planning permission for residential development. Developer Newcore, which took over the site in 2012, has had the barrels removed, stating they were aware of the potential contamination and would address it.
Concerns were amplified by campaigners from the Gallos Brook community group, who claimed soil samples near the storage area showed PFOS levels 205 times higher than the safe limit for residential land use. They reported 3.74325 micrograms of PFAS per kilo in their UKAS-certified laboratory analysis. The Environment Agency's Chemical Compliance team has contacted the site owners regarding proper management of the drums.
Newcore's CEO, Hugo Llewelyn, disputed the campaigners' testing methods and results. He stated that the company's own Phase 2 investigation tests, conducted in the same area, found significantly lower PFAS levels, approximately 0.0641 micrograms per kilo, suggesting a 98% reduction compared to the campaigners' figures. Mr. Llewelyn asserted these professional tests provided the accurate results.
