Chemicals firm’s vow on pollution probe after site closure risk

The operator of a chemicals facility in Thornton which is part of a pollution probe has vowed that its possible closure will have no bearing on the investigations.

AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd has responded after fears were raised that the possible closure of the site could have a detrimental impact on the investigation and its aftermath.

Almost 200 jobs in Thornton are at risk as plans were announced for a 45 day consultation with its 190 permanent employees and 18 agency staff on proposals to cease production at Hillhouse, Thornton.

The company said the announcement earlier this week week was driven by the fact it had been making a serious loss.

AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd has been operating a fluoropolymer manufacturing facility, which was acquired from ICI, within the Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone at Thornton since 1999.

The announcement has raised concerns about the possible loss of jobs but it has also sparked questions about what the site closure could mean for the ongoing investigation into local contamination of areas around the site with forever chemicals PFAS.

The concerns were raised by environmental campaigner Paul Marks, who has questioned the motives behind the move, suggesting it could be a ploy to try and avoid a possible financial pay-out.

He said: “I believe AGC Chemicals may close before the multi-agency investigation has been completed, leaving taxpayers to bear the cost of extensive remediation of contaminated gardens and allotments.

“If that happens, it would represent a deeply concerning outcome for the local community.

“I believe these developments raise serious questions about AGC’s motives for proposing closure at this time.

“In my opinion, this is an attempt to minimise future legal exposure and the potentially enormous costs associated with remediating contamination around Thornton “

But a spokesman for AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd, insisted the motives were about the firm making a loss and said :“We do understand the concern and uncertainty that the proposed closure has caused.

“However, as we stated in our public statement on Monday, the UK manufacturing business on the Hillhouse site has been making a loss for the last 4 years, and this combined with ongoing market volatility and increasing competition has led to the proposal.

“The details are being shared with the employee representatives as part of the ongoing consultation.

“On environmental matters, we have always worked collaboratively with the Environment Agency, Wyre Council, the local community and wider stakeholders, and we will continue to do so through this consultation period.

“If a decision is taken to cease manufacture, AGCCE remains committed to ensuring compliance with all regulatory obligations, including maintaining the necessary staff for environmental permit compliance and any environmental monitoring that may be required.”

A detailed investigation was launched in July 2024 to consider whether historic contamination has occurred at Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone, in Thornton.

Experts concluded that two allotment sites in Thornton meet the criteria to be determined as contaminated land as part of an ongoing environmental investigation.

Wyre Council launched a multi-agency investigation in 2024 to consider potential historic contamination from the former ICI site – now operated by AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd – which occupies part of Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone

The investigation is looking into whether Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), used on the site between the 1950s and 2012 and released into the air, may have been deposited on land in the surrounding area.

Now, the Environment Agency has presented conclusions stating that Sandringham Avenue Allotments in Thornton meet the criteria to be determined as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

These conclusions follow two phases of shallow soil sampling carried out at the site last year, which found PFOA levels above the low-risk interim screening level for soils where produce is grown in an allotment setting.

The results have already been published on the multi-agency webpages here: www.wyre.gov.uk/multi-agency.

In the meantime, more than 60 residents in Thornton have engaged the law firm Leigh Day to explore a potential legal action against AGC Chemicals Europe over ‘forever chemical’ (PFAS) contamination linked to the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone.

Cllr Michael Vincent, the Leader of Wyre Council, said: “The announcement does not affect the ongoing investigation, which is being progressed in accordance with the relevant regulatory processes. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.’’