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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Martha Elwell and Pippa Neill

People in North Yorkshire town found to have ‘alarming’ levels of toxic Pfas chemicals in blood

Exterior of the building and a sign that says Angus Fire
Angus Fire, a factory in Bentham in North Yorkshire that legally produced Pfas-containing firefighting foam between 1976 and 2024. Photograph: Rob Whitrow/Ends Report

Alarming levels of toxic forever chemicals have been found in the blood of people living in a town previously revealed to be contaminated with the UK’s highest recorded level of Pfas.

Pfas, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and commonly known as forever chemicals because of their persistence in the environment, have been linked to a wide range of serious illnesses, including some cancers. They are used in a variety of consumer products but one of their most prolific uses is in firefighting foam.

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