Residents in a small village have been left baffled, after waking up to find a 'strange white poeder' covering their cars and pavements.
Those living on Northwich Road near Runcorn were left bewildered by the discovery on Monday (October 11).
The powder covered cars and homes on the street as well as a nearby estate.
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The area is close to the Saint Gobain Isover manufacturing plant on Rivington Road, which produces mineral wool insulation.
It is believed the strange dust may have blown over from the factory.
Concerns have been raised previously about pets and wildlife ingesting the substance, along with fears the powder contains glass.
Dave Espley, of Preston Brook, woke up on Monday morning to find his car covered in the substance.
The 49-year-old told Cheshire Live 'it looked like it has snowed' when he woke up in the morning.
He said: "The issue is what it has discharged and whether it's safe for wildlife and pets, it's also very abrasive so it's causing all sorts of issues with people's cars as well.
"It looked like it snowed when we got up in the morning, literally everything was covered in it and the main concern was wondering what it is.
"There's a lot of questions and we are just trying to get to the bottom of it.
"We've been told it is 70 per cent glass so apparently it will not dissolve as soon as it rains.
"I'm not quite sure how they are going to fully rectify it because it's all over the fields as well.
"I know people have vegetable patches and they have been advised to chuck it all away.
"You can still see it all over the road outside the plant (Isover) itself, it looks like frost.
"The Environmental Agency has been round and so has the Isover plant manager and apologised and I think he was having a worse day than anyone else.
"The main concern here is what is in it and if it is potentially toxic.
"We've been told it's not harmful and not to eat it, but obviously we are concerned about pets and wildlife."
Dave also said that due to the 'abrasive' substance, it has damaged a number of cars on the street and valets have been arranged to help remove the powder from people's cars.
"They're trying to (clean) and they've booked appointments with car cleaners to come round and clean all the cars, I had to use the hose to get it off of my car," he said.
"It was absolutely covered, thankfully we didn't rub it, but I know other people who have taken their car to a car wash and this stuff has caused real damage.
"I am assuming this is what they use to clean out the chimney as it is real abrasive stuff.
"A neighbour of mine has said their windscreen is covered in scratches because he took it to a car wash.
"They have been around valeting people's cars and doing a big clean up as they can.
"It's been reported to the environmental agency and there is a a big clear-up happening at the minute."
A spokesperson for the Environmental Agency said: "We are working with the company to offer advice and guidance under our regulatory role.
"Members of the public can continue to report this issue to our instant hotline, which is 24-hours on 0800 80 70 60."
