PFAS firefighting foam barrels removed from Oxfordshire housing development site

Barrels of firefighting foam potentially containing PFAS “forever chemicals” have been removed and tested from the former Islip fuel depot in Oxfordshire, according to developer Nucor.

The site, once a Royal Air Force and Esso fuel storage and transfer facility, has received outline planning permission for a housing development that will include affordable homes.

Concerns over PFAS barrels at Islip fuel depot

Environmental concerns increased after activists discovered about 40 barrels of firefighting foam had been left at the site for decades. The foam was believed to contain PFAS, a group of persistent chemicals often referred to as “forever chemicals”.

Nucor said it had identified potential contamination and that “this potential risk and identified contamination will be immediately removed”.

The former depot supplied fuel to RAF Upper Heyford, around eight miles to the north. The site is suspected of being the source of PFAS contamination.

The barrels were manufactured by Angus Fire Armor. Angus Fire and Armor has settled a legal dispute with residents in Yorkshire who claimed they were exposed to PFAS near the company’s foam manufacturing plant.

Developer says barrels were removed responsibly

Hugo Llewellyn, chief executive of Nucor, said he learned about the barrels in “recent weeks”. Nucor took over the site in 2012 and plans to regenerate it with housing, including 50% affordable homes.

Mr Llewellyn said the barrels had been removed in a “responsible and professional manner” and tested.

“Although firefighting foam containers have been present at the site since MoD operations in the 20th century, we do not believe they were ever deployed. The containers were sealed and subsequent investigations confirmed there were no ‘pathways’ for contamination,” he said.

Activists’ PFAS testing disputed

Mr Llewellyn disputed the quality of tests carried out by activists, who trespassed to obtain suspected samples from the site.

He said the samples were taken from a secure area of the property designed to contain firefighting foam that likely contained PFAS.

“I don’t think there’s anything surprising here,” he said.

The developer added that potential contamination had already been identified during a stage one assessment of the site last year. The specifications for a stage two investigation were therefore designed to address the potential risk, with any identified contamination to be removed immediately.

The Environment Agency’s chemicals compliance team has contacted the site owner to ensure the drums are being managed properly.