RAF base chemical contamination worst in UK, report finds
Chemical contamination at a former RAF base earmarked for 9,000 homes is the worst found in the UK, a report has said. Testing at RAF Upper Heyford carried out on behalf of a developer found “unacceptable” levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), referred to as forever chemicals. Fears have been raised previously that the site could…
Chemical contamination at a former RAF base earmarked for 9,000 homes is the worst found in the UK, a report has said.
Testing at RAF Upper Heyford carried out on behalf of a developer found “unacceptable” levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), referred to as forever chemicals.
Fears have been raised previously that the site could be the source of pollution in nearby waterways, after earlier testing by campaigners and the Environment Agency.
Paul Silver, chief executive of developer Dorchester Living, said separate soil samples taken from residential areas showed the area was “safe for use”.
PFAS are a group of thousands of man-made chemicals, some of which can cause cancer, which are often referred to as forever chemicals because they do not break down easily.
The results of the site investigations were uploaded to Cherwell District Council’s website as part of a planning application.
The author of the report said they were higher than the village of Bentham, Yorkshire, “determined as having the highest level of PFAS in the UK“.
The Environment Agency (EA) said military sites and airports were hotspots for PFAS, which were used extensively in firefighting foams for decades.
At RAF Upper Heyford, firefighters would practice putting out an aeroplane set on fire above a “pond” of fuel.
This training area was found to be “the most significant ongoing source of PFAS contamination identified”.
Another report into ground and surface water found contamination was “widespread” at the site, with all samples exceeding environmental standards.
Subsequent independent testing by Gallos Brook Environmental Group found elevated levels of the chemicals in more than a dozen streams that flow from beneath the base.
