People in Lancashire have been urged to wash and peel vegetables in their gardens after a chemical which takes thousands of years to break down was discovered in soil

Residents have been warned to wash and peel their vegetables after the discovery of a “forever chemical” in soil, sparking an investigation.

Last year investigations discovered AGC Chemicals near Blackpool had discharged hundreds of a banned toxic chemical known as PFOA into the River Wyre. PFOA has been linked to a range of problems, such as high cholesterol levels and thyroid disease. Now people living close to the plant have been told to clean their vegetables to avoid health issues.

The substance is known as a “forever chemical” as it takes thousands of years to break down. Several organisations, including the Environment Agency, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSA) and Wyre Council have now launched an investigation, the Guardian reported.

Last year it was reported around 115 tonnes of PFOA was emitted into the air, soils and water and landfills between 1950 and 2012. A letter found by the publication read: “Since first production at the Hillhouse site the total mass releases of PFOA to air, land, water and in product is approximately 178 tonnes.”

Dr Dave Megson,from Manchester Metropolitan University, told the Guardian the investigation was “too little too late”. He added: “One hundred and fifteen tonnes of PFOA being discharged to the environment is not an insignificant amount. PFOA is highly persistent and so there is a significant potential for human exposure which needs to be established.”

“It is important to realise that PFOA is not the only PFAS to have been released from this site. It is likely that a cocktail of tens to hundreds of different PFAS will have been released over the last few decades, and so it feels short-sighted to focus on the risks from just one PFAS. “Nearly one tonne a year of EEA-NH4 can be legally discharged from the site – are we going to go through a similar exercise in another 20 years to understand the potential damage from that chemical?”

Dr John Astbury, a consultant in public health at UKHSA North West, said: “At present it is not clear what, if any, public health risk there may be around the site. UKHSA will consider the potential risks and provide an assessment on the potential exposure as the investigation continues and more information becomes available.

“We will continue to provide advice to Wyre council and the Environment Agency and support their response. As more data is gathered from the site, the relevant agencies will work together to develop any further guidance as required.”

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