Residents find chemicals 43k times water standard
Residents near the former RAF Upper Heyford base have discovered alarming levels of 'forever chemicals' in a nearby stream. Independent testing revealed these chemicals at concentrations 43,000 times higher than environmental standards. Local officials are urging for more comprehensive testing to assess the extent of the contamination and its potential health impacts.
- ▪Independent testing found 'forever chemicals' at levels 43,000 times higher than environmental standards.
- ▪The contamination is believed to stem from historical firefighting activities at the former RAF base.
- ▪Local MP Calum Miller is advocating for increased testing and accountability from national and local agencies.
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| Original publisher | BBC News — Science |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c232e81nej4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Wed, 20 May 2026 04:59:21 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-20T05:04:59.770Z |
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Residents find chemicals 43k times water standard5 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJamie MorrisSouth of England, Upper HeyfordBBCThe testing was carried out in a stream near to a site thought to be contaminated with forever chemicalsResidents living near a former RAF base say independent testing has found levels of 'forever chemicals' 43,000 times higher than environmental standards.The testing, paid for by residents, was carried out in a stream 0.5km south of the former RAF Upper Heyford base, where the Environment Agency (EA) say there is a risk of contamination from historic fire fighting activities.Concerns were raised in April after previous water data came to light and showed high levels of the chemicals 4km downstream.Bicester and Woodstock MP Calum Miller, said he…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at BBC News — Science.