Bentham: the most PFAS polluted town in the UK

Leigh Day has been instructed to investigate a case against Angus Fire Limited as a result of alleged PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pollution in Bentham, North Yorkshire.

The small and otherwise idyllic market town has been branded in a report as the most PFAS polluted place in the UK due to the levels of these chemicals in the soils and groundwater. 

The case will be the first PFAS related legal claim in the UK. 

What are PFAS?

PFAS are a large and complex group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals, which are more commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their persistence in the environment. They are very mobile in water which means that once they are released into the environment, PFAS can be transported over long distances.

Unfortunately, PFAS can be toxic to humans, plants and wildlife. Two of the most studied chemicals in this family, PFOA and PFOS, have been shown to promote the development of certain cancers and interfere with the bodies hormonal, reproductive and immune systems. 

Thousands of PFAS currently in use lack proper toxicological data though, meaning the full impact of these chemicals remains unknown. 

Why are PFAS in Bentham?

Bentham is the home of Angus International Safety Group (Angus Fire). 

Since the 1970s, Angus Fire had been producing firefighting foams containing PFAS - which aid the dispersal of liquids in the foam - at a factory near the town centre. This continued until 2022, when it reportedly produced 18,522.33 tonnes of the substance. 

An investigation by ENDS Report earlier this year revealed the highest known levels of PFAS pollution in the UK to be in the groundwater of Angus Fire’s wastewater lagoons in Bentham. It reported that Angus Fire has a number of wastewater lagoons which have historically contained contaminated run-off created during the testing of PFAS foams. These lagoons are situated just metres from a row of residential terrace houses, including those of Leigh Day’s clients. 

Up until 2020, contaminated water runoff was directed to two of these wastewater lagoons under a discharge permit from United Utilities, before being directed into the sewer. Although Angus Fire stopped sending the contaminated water to the lagoons in 2020, the lagoons continue to be permitted to discharge into the sewer. ENDS reports that the contaminated water may even discharge directly into a stream, with the lagoons having a history of overflowing.

Samples from the lagoons have been reported to show the presence of both PFOA and PFOS, two chemicals in the PFAS family which have been globally banned for the protection of human health and the environment.

Since this investigation, further testing has been conducted by Angus Fire confirming the scale of the PFAS contamination in Bentham. In addition to groundwater contamination, soil samples in the surrounding areas also found PFAS to be present.  

Angus Fire states that it no longer manufactures or tests any PFAS-containing foam products at Bentham or anywhere else in the world, but this does not help the people of Bentham. There is believed to be an extreme legacy issue here that needs urgently resolving.  

How is Leigh Day involved? 

Leigh Day has been instructed to investigate a case against Angus Fire Limited as a result of the alleged PFAS contamination in Bentham.

The firm has extensive experience in major environmental claims and specialises in claims as a result of exposure to pollution, including radiation, chemicals, pesticides, and sewage in the sea. This has resulted in substantial amounts of compensation being successfully obtained on behalf of individuals and communities all over the world who have suffered ill-health and damage to their local environment from the effects of environmental degradation.