When residents living near a chemical plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, recently had their blood analysed, many were found to contain high levels of Pfas (so-called “forever chemicals”). So what does this mean for their health?

I have worked on that question for more than a decade, as more and more contaminated sites have been discovered around the world. The levels reported in Thornton-Cleveleys are higher than those usually found in the general population, but they are in the same range as those seen in some other Pfas-exposed communities. However, they are far from the worst I have seen in Sweden and elsewhere.

A blood test can show that a person has been exposed to Pfas. The pattern of different Pfas can sometimes also give clues about the main source of exposure, and the measured levels can be compared with those in other populations. What the test cannot tell is whether that particular person will become ill.

For several of the best-studied Pfas, we now have plenty of studies tracking their effects in humans. The clearest links include changes in blood fats such as cholesterol, a weaker immune response to vaccines in children, lower birth weight and, particularly........

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