Granox Widnes: Former ICI Pesticide Depot & Contamination Legacy

Granox Widnes was an Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) pesticide formulation & distribution depot at Hough Green, Widnes, Cheshire (operated ~1950s–1978).

What Was Granox?

• Granulated aldrin oxide — soil insecticide for wheat, oats, barley.
• Active: aldrin (organochlorine, cyclodiene). Persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic.
• WHO Class Ia (extremely hazardous). Banned globally (Stockholm Convention, 2004).

Site History

• 1950s: Built as UK mixing/distribution hub.
• 1968 aerial photo: 27 chemical tanks; 14 held Granox or precursors (α/γ-HCH, lindane, pentachlorophenol, DNOC, dinoseb).
• Also formulated/transloaded third-party products (textile, paper, timber treatment).
• 1978: Plant closed. 2002: ICI vacated entire Widnes site.
• 2011–present: INOVYN (chlorine producer on adjacent land) acquired site; long-running contamination investigation.
• Dec 2019: Four INOVYN employees convicted (Chester Crown Court) for breaching Environmental Permitting Regulations (historic contamination).

Environmental Legacy

Groundwater & soil contamination by aldrin, dieldrin, HCH isomers, phenols. Remediation ongoing; site now restricted industrial.