Race to find source of carcinogenic Pfas in Cumbria and Lancashire waters | Pfas

A series of toxic pollution hotspots have been discovered in Cumbria and Lancashire, with high levels of Pfos, a banned carcinogenic “forever chemical”, detected in rivers and groundwater at 25 sites.

The contamination, spread over a large area, was discovered by Watershed Investigations and the Guardian after a Freedom of Information request revealed high concentrations of Pfos in Environment Agency samples taken in January 2025.

Pfos are a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (Pfas), known as “forever chemicals” because they take hundreds or thousands of years to degrade. They are widely used in consumer products and some have been linked to a range of serious health problems.

At one site, groundwater contained 3,840 ng/l Pfos, as well as high levels of other banned Pfas compounds. Twenty-five sites recorded Pfos concentrations well above the recommended drinking water limits of 100 ng/L for a combined total of 48 Pfas compounds.

The contamination extends across an area of ​​outstanding natural beauty with multiple protections for wildlife and habitats.

A resident whose private well at his business was polluted said he discovered it in November 2021 after being informed “unofficially” by an individual at the Environment Agency, and immediately stopped drinking the water. According to the resident, the agency had been testing the well for about 35 years due to concerns about “chemical drift” in the groundwater.

“When I contacted the agency, they offered me no help,” the resident said, adding that they were referred to Westmorland and Furness Council, who “said they wished I hadn’t been told because they couldn’t even test for Pfas… there was no help, no advice, no support of any kind.”

“I tried to convince the municipality to look into the origin of the pollution, but no one seemed interested,” the resident said. “They said we seemed to be an exception…nearly five years later, I’m still none the wiser.”

Westmorland and Furness Council said it was informed by the Environment Agency of the contaminated supply in late 2021 and that the company had switched to running water supplies.

“The council has continued to support the company to ensure legal requirements are met and a supply of drinking water is provided. These arrangements remain in place and are managed to ensure there is no risk to public safety,” a spokesperson said.

The Environment Agency said it had identified high levels of Pfas in the region in 2022 through its national monitoring programme, but stressed that responsibility for protecting users of private water supplies lies with local authorities.

The agency said it alerted the owner of the private borehole after detecting Pfas above drinking water guidelines and advised him to contact the local council. He added that councils, the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) were informed in 2025.

Possible sources of Pfos contamination identified in the Environment Agency’s March 2025 report include a paper mill in Beetham, where Pfas is known to have been used. Sites where PFAS-contaminated paper pulp may have been spilled on land are also flagged as potential hotspots where PFAS could contaminate soils and enter the food chain.

The plant operator was placed into administration and its assets were sold to a new operator in June 2025. Responsibility for previous operations now rests with the directors of the old company.

“The mill is now operated by a new legal entity,” said Robyn Khan, director of new operator Pelta Medical Papers. “Since this acquisition, no Pfas-based chemicals have been used on site and the mill does not manufacture paper containing Pfas.

“All manufacturing of paper products containing Pfas has occurred under the previous legal entity and ownership, in accordance with regulatory guidelines and permit conditions in effect at the time. We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and will continue to collaborate appropriately with the appropriate regulatory authorities.”

Plant administrators Kroll Advisory did not respond to requests for comment.

The Environment Agency report also identified five historic landfills and one operational landfill as possible sources of Pfas, alongside sewage treatment plants, fire stations and discharges from caravan parks.

The government’s new PFAS action plan, published on Tuesday, sets out proposals to strengthen controls on chemicals, including new guidance on contaminated soil, a consultation on legal limits for PFAS levels in drinking water and potentially tougher rules for industrial sites.

But Water UK wants Pfas to be banned altogether. He said: “We risk falling further behind other European countries, which are increasingly banning these substances and requiring manufacturers to pay for clean-up. »

Chloe Alexander, head of chemicals policy at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said the government’s plan was “a road map to nowhere”, warning it contained no binding phase-outs, no clear timetable and no commitment to match the EU’s proposed Pfas ban.

There are around 33,000 private water reserves in England and “it is becoming increasingly clear how vulnerable some private water reserves are as the climate changes”, a DWI report said, with more water sources going dry during droughts and others increasingly affected by environmental pollution.

Hannah Evans of environmental charity Fidra said: “This is another case demonstrating just how widespread Pfas pollution is and the real-world consequences. The persistent chemicals should not be in our drinking water, our food or our bodies. We urgently need to turn off the tap and move the UK towards Pfas-free alternatives, many of which are already widely available.”