Residents living near a former chemical plant have been advised not to eat eggs produced by their own chickens after tests found elevated levels of a potentially cancer-causing substance.

The warning follows an ongoing investigationinto historic contamination linked to the former ICI Hillhouse site in Thornton, near Blackpool - a chlorine production facility that operated for decades.

Scientists tested eggs laid by domestic poultry kept within a one-kilometre radius of the site. The results showed concentrations of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) - a chemical classed as carcinogenic - above the recommended weekly intake level.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), eating just one of the affected eggs per week could exceed safe exposure limits.

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The contamination relates to historic emissions of PFOA, a type of PFAS ("forever chemical"), which was used in manufacturing processes at the site and released into the air between the 1950s and 2012.

Wyre Council said the FSA’s current advice is that anyone living within 1km of the Hillhouse site should avoid consuming home-produced eggs, and that birds kept for laying in this zone should not enter the food chain.

The latest alert follows earlier precautionary guidance issued in 2025, when residents were advised not to eat fruit and vegetables grown locally in soil near the site due to potential contamination risks.

A spokesperson involved in the investigation said: “The risk assessment undertaken by the Food Standards Agency has concluded that certain PFAS — notably PFOA — are present in the eggs sampled at a level that could increase the risk of harm to human health.

“We have been in touch with the poultry keepers themselves and will write to all households within 1km of the Hillhouse site to share the Food Standards Agency advice. We will continue to liaise closely with the FSA on this matter.

“We understand this news is likely to cause concern in the community, but we would reassure people that the advice is issued on a precautionary basis to protect public health. This advice may be updated when additional research findings or new data become available.”

Community drop-in events are scheduled to take place in the area in early March, giving residents the opportunity to speak directly with experts from the agencies involved in the multi-agency investigation.

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