Pippa Neill, ENDS Report journalist, leads first UK community blood test investigation into PFAS in Bentham

Following ENDS Report’s groundbreaking investigation, God’s Own Dark Waters, the team collaborated with ITV to produce a documentary exploring PFAS pollution, also known as “forever chemicals”.

The documentary, which aired on Sunday 22 March, revealed that residents and former employees at a factory in Bentham, North Yorkshire, have “alarming” levels of these chemicals in their blood. PFAS have been linked to serious illnesses, including certain cancers. ENDS Report first reported in 2024 that Bentham’s groundwater contained the highest recorded PFAS levels in the UK, stemming from decades of firefighting foam production at Angus Fire.

For the first time in the UK, residents and former factory workers underwent blood testing for PFAS. The results were stark: almost a quarter of the 39 individuals tested had levels in the highest risk category, with one former worker recording 405 ng/ml – more than 200 times the US guideline for potential health effects. Some residents with elevated PFAS had never worked at the factory, indicating possible community exposure through air, soil, and local produce.

The documentary illustrates the real human impact of PFAS exposure, including health and reproductive challenges. It features Pippa Neill, News Editor for ENDS, who first reported the story in 2024. Experts described the blood levels as “exceptionally high” compared with typical populations.

Congratulations to Pippa and the entire ENDS team for this landmark story – it exemplifies the depth, persistence, and influence of Haymarket’s investigative journalism.