A TOWN is in shock after a report revealed that it has the highest concentration of 'forever' chemicals in the UK. 

The ENDS report claims that Bentham has the highest known level of PFAS contamination in the groundwater on Angus Fire's site after a series of Freedom of Information requests. 

Angus Fire, which manufactures fire protection products, said: "We acknowledge and do not seek to minimise any historical contamination at the site."

PFAS, known as poly and perfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of thousands of man-made chemicals used in manufacturing. They are known as 'forever chemicals' because they take hundreds of years to break down. 

According to ENDS, testing of the groundwater on the Angus Fire site in 2008 recorded a PFAS sum of 1,199,000ng/l. The samples were taken from the groundwater near the wastewater lagoons, which historically contained contaminated run-off during the testing of PFAS firefighting foams, the report claims.

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One PFAS chemical is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which was listed as a group one carcinogen, or cancer causing, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

Another, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) was classed as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' (group 2B) by the agency. ENDS claims that in the 2008 test 18,100ng/l of PFOA and 36,100ng/l of PFOS was found. 

Angus Fire stressed that no products containing PFAS chemicals are manufactured or tested at Bentham any longer, and their understanding of its potential dangers has evolved at the same rate as other customers and the regulators. The company did not manufacture PFAS chemicals themselves, a spokesperson said.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer published its evaluation on how carcinogenic PFOA and PFOS chemicals are in December 2023. Since the 2000s the Environment Agency (EA) has banned or highly restricted specific PFAS. 

The EA said that it is working with North Yorkshire Council as it investigates historic PFAS contamination at the site. 

Matt Young, a resident who is involved in a steering committee called 'Cleaner Bentham' set up in response to the ENDS report, said: "I think generally [the reaction] was of shock." 

He said that being a smaller community 'rumours fly around' but to see the report was 'quite shocking to people.' "You go through all the stages - 'it can't be happening to us' - quite a struggle for the community as a whole I think." 

An Angus Fire spokesperson said: "Angus is working urgently, and indeed has been doing so for a number of years, to establish the extent of any PFAS contamination on its Bentham site. It is a complex matter, as the site is large and has been in operation for generations.

"The site characterisation is being carried out by independent, industry-leading consultants, and in co-operation with the EA. The local community has been updated regularly." 

"We follow all relevant regulations governing waste disposal. Any historic breaches have been investigated, and our procedures reviewed and improved to prevent reoccurrence,” they added. 

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are focused on the regulation of Angus Fire and will hold the operator accountable according to the conditions of their environmental permit.”

“We have taken a robust approach addressing key areas of non-compliance with the permit, and we are closely monitoring the corrective measures the operator is taking to ensure full compliance.”