After more than 70 years, the controversial chemical factory in Thyborøn is closing.
Økologisk NuThe chemical factory FMC Rønland, formerly known as Cheminova, announced after a storm meeting at the factory on Tuesday that production at the Thyborøn plant will cease by the end of 2026. A spokesperson from FMC told TV Midtvest. The Danish company, which was acquired by American FMC Corporation in 2015, reported a loss of 1.2 billion DKK last year, and over the past three years, FMC Rønland has accumulated a deficit of 3 billion DKK. When the factory closes for the last time at the end of the year, it will leave behind about 400 employees who have lost their jobs, as well as one of Denmark’s ten most severe soil contaminations in the form of three heavily polluted areas, of which funding has so far only been secured for cleaning up one. The three generations of contamination at Harboøre Tange Eco Now published an article in early August 2026 about the recently initiated project to contain the pollution on Cheminova’s old factory site until a permanent solution is in place. Cheminova’s old factory site is one of the three so-called generations of contamination at Harboøre Tange. The term refers to serious pollution that can affect the environment and people for generations. The others are the chemical depot at Høfde 42 and FMC’s current factory site, which, according to Region Midtjylland, is also considered heavily contaminated. Of the three areas, only the chemical depot at Høfde 42 has secured funding for full cleanup, totaling 728 million DKK. The cleanup of the old factory site is estimated to cost several billion DKK. Production of pesticides not approved in the EU Cheminova, now FMC Rønland, has been producing chemicals and plant protection products at Harboøre Tange since the 1950s. In addition to extensive pollution, the company has recently been criticized for producing and exporting pesticides that are no longer approved for use in the EU but can still legally be exported to countries outside the union. In 2025, Danwatch documented that FMC’s wastewater contained residues of several substances no longer approved in the EU, including chlorpyrifos and dimethoate. These substances belong to the group of organophosphate insecticides, which have been criticized for their potential impact on the nervous system and environmental risks over the years. The factory closure appears to mark the end of Danish production and export of pesticides that are not approved for use in the EU.
The chemical factory FMC Rønland, formerly known as Cheminova, announced after a storm meeting at the factory on Tuesday that production at the factory in Thyborøn will close by the end of 2026. This was stated by a spokesperson from FMC to TV Midtvest.
The Danish company, which was acquired in 2015 by American FMC Corporation, reported a loss of 1.2 billion DKK last year, and over the past three years, FMC Rønland has accumulated a deficit of 3 billion DKK.
When the factory closes its doors for the last time at the end of the year, it will leave behind about 400 employees who have lost their jobs, as well as one of Denmark's ten most severe soil contaminations in the form of three heavily polluted areas, of which only funding for cleanup has been found for one so far.
The three generations of contamination at Harboøre Tange
Ecological Now published in early August 2026 an article about the recently initiated project, where efforts are being made to contain the contamination on Cheminova's old factory site until a permanent solution is in place.
Cheminova's old factory site is one of the three so-called generations of contamination at Harboøre Tange. The term covers serious pollution that can affect the environment and people for generations. The others are the chemical depot at Høfde 42 and FMC's current factory site, which, according to Region Midtjylland, is also considered to be massively contaminated.
Of the three areas, only the chemical depot at Høfde 42 has funding for a full cleanup totaling 728 million DKK. The cleanup of the old factory site is estimated to cost several billion DKK.
Production of pesticides not approved in the EU
Cheminova, now FMC Rønland, has been producing chemicals and plant protection products at Harboøre Tange since the 1950s. In addition to extensive pollution, the company has in recent years also been criticized for the production and export of pesticides that are no longer approved for use in the EU but can still legally be exported to countries outside the union.
In 2025, Danwatch documented, among other things, that FMC's wastewater contained residues of several substances that are no longer approved in the EU, including chlorpyrifos and dimethoate.
The substances belong to the group of organophosphate insecticides, which have for years been criticized for their potential impact on the nervous system and risk of environmental damage.
The factory closure thus seems to mark the end of Danish production and export of pesticides that are not approved for use in the EU.