Dozens exposed to PFAS at 3M Swansea firefighting foam, BBC investigation finds

Dozens of workers at 3M’s Swansea site in Gorseinon, Wales, were exposed to PFAS-containing firefighting foam for decades, according to BBC File on 4 Investigates. The BBC’s reporting ties the health and environmental risks to two chemicals now classified as carcinogenic, PFOS and PFOA, and questions whether employees were adequately warned or protected even as the company began phasing out the substances. 3M has said it stopped manufacturing PFOS and PFOA globally by 2002 and has since prioritized worker safety and remediation at sites where PFAS contamination occurred, including Swansea. The investigation highlights a broader concern about legacy PFAS at manufacturing sites and the long arc of exposure, cleanup, and accountability.

Located at Gorseinon, the Swansea factory opened in 1952 and grew to become 3M’s largest plant outside the United States, employing more than 1,000 people at its peak to manufacture nappies fastenings and video tape. Every year, a dozen workers were selected to join a “fire party” on the emergency squad, training monthly to tackle chemical fires using Light Water, 3M’s branding for AFFF foam. The BBC’s investigation found that the fire party members were not informed about the chemicals the foam might contain. In the 1990s and early 2000s, internal documents from the broader 3M PFAS saga referenced elevated PFAS exposure among workers and possible cancer risks, while the company publicly announced it would phase PFOS and PFOA out of production by 2002. Yet historic foams remained on site, and a major incident in October 2006 underscored the risk. A storm knocked the foam containment system out of balance, releasing liquid foam onto the site and, eventually, into the local environment. The ensuing foam plume was described by a health and safety manager as resembling a “foam party,” and it prompted concerns about wider contamination and regulatory breaches. The incident also led to warnings that the spill had extended beyond the site to the nearby waterway, the Afon Lliw.

Environmental testing conducted in 2023 found PFOS levels in soil ranging from 50 to more than 1,500 micrograms per kilogram, with soil contamination considered significant by experts. In the on-site pond, PFOS measured at 1,800 micrograms per liter, while the nearby river, the Afon Lliw, showed 20 micrograms per liter — levels the BBC report notes are hundreds to tens of thousands of times higher than those considered safe for aquatic life. Manchester Metropolitan University environmental scientist Dr. David Megson described such concentrations as a cause for concern, noting that PFOS and PFOA can harm the liver, cardiovascular and immune systems, and potentially affect developing fetuses. The World Health Organization’s 2024 assessment classified PFOA as carcinogenic and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans. PFAS chemicals remain banned in the UK due to their persistence, and the BBC’s reporting identifies that 3M’s knowledge about the dangers stretches back to at least the 1970s, with internal documents and court filings in the United States showing a pattern of recognizing risks while continuing use at some sites. 3M has argued that it has long shared PFAS findings publicly and that it has stopped PFOS and PFOA production while pursuing remediation and community investments.

In the United States, litigation over PFOS contamination culminated in a major civil action beginning in the 1990s, where 3M documents indicated elevated PFAS levels in workers’ blood and potential cancer links. Rob Bilott, the lawyer who led that litigation, emphasized that internal studies dating back to the 1960s showed toxicity across multiple species, reinforcing concerns about long-term exposure. BBC reporting also highlights the personal toll on Swansea workers and their families. One former employee, anonymized as Ian, who served on the fire party for four decades, described a lack of information about the chemicals involved and the absence of protective measures in daily workwear. Cheryl, whose father worked at the site from the 1970s and later died of kidney cancer, told the BBC of enduring questions about whether earlier diagnoses might have altered outcomes had workers been tested for PFAS exposure. The WHO’s evolving stance on PFAS health risks adds context to these questions, though it remains difficult to establish direct causation between exposure and specific cancers for any individual case. While the cancer link remains a topic of ongoing research, the broader pattern of exposure and health concerns is clear in the BBC’s account. The Swansea facility, which operated through 2023 before its closure and its planned redevelopment, was 3M’s largest outside the US for decades, and its legacy continues to drive questions about corporate responsibility, worker safety, and environmental stewardship. 3M contends that protecting employees and their families is a priority and that it has committed to substantial remediation and investment; it says it has remediated the pond and surrounding soil in recent months and continues to pursue further PFAS cleanup efforts, including a global commitment to invest $1 billion in water treatment technologies at sites historically associated with PFAS production. The company also states that PFOS and PFOA have been permanently discontinued in production. The BBC’s investigation underscores the complexity of PFAS contamination, the time lag in recognizing long-term impacts, and the ongoing need for transparent health monitoring and environmental cleanup. Ian and Cheryl have requested anonymity, reflecting concerns about speaking publicly about these experiences. As Swansea’s site is redeveloped, the public conversation about industrial history, worker safety, and environmental responsibility continues to evolve.