AGC Chemicals Europe

AGC Chemicals Europe is a manufacturing plant located in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, that has been producing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA, a known carcinogen globally banned in 2020. The company is currently newsworthy due to significant recent developments. Just days after over 90 local residents signed up for a potential legal claim concerning contamination of the surrounding area, AGC Chemicals Europe announced plans to cease operations at its Thornton-Cleveleys plant. This announcement follows concerns raised about kidney cancer rates in the vicinity of the factory, with a government-funded study examining these rates near the site. The factory emitted PFOA between the 1950s and 2020. The potential legal claim and the factory's planned closure highlight the ongoing environmental and health concerns associated with PFAS production and legacy contamination in the region.