The premier episode of "Toxic Town" unfolds with an introduction to Corby, a town whose very foundation was laid in steel, drawing hordes of Scots southward to toil in its mighty plant. The year is 1979 when British Steel drops a bombshell, announcing the plant's closure, which dealt a devastating blow to 10,000 livelihoods. Amidst this somber backdrop, snippets of fiery protests against the shutdown flicker, reflecting the community's desperation. In a bid to stave off Corby's demise, the town council initiates an ambitious reclamation project, spanning the once bustling steelworks land.
The narrative then leaps to Corby in 1995, where we encounter two women: Susan, a doting mother of a toddler, and Tracey, a woman yearning for her firstborn, both finding themselves pregnant almost simultaneously.
Concurrently, the regeneration project in Corby is in full swing, yet it harbors a dark underbelly. Gross safety breaches mar the handling of toxic waste—uncovered trucks careen through the streets, hauling hazardous materials, with drivers masking their faces not with protective gear but with nonchalance. Precautionary measures, such as wheel washers, are conspicuously absent. Ted, a council representative, confronts the contractors over these alarming oversights, only to be met with casual dismissal.
These reckless trucks plow through residential areas, with drivers like Derek, fueled by the greed to complete more trips and pocket extra cash, speeding without regard for safety. Toxic dust billows and contaminated water spills from their payloads, poisoning the surrounding areas before the waste is unceremoniously dumped into a vast pit just beyond the town's borders. Unbeknownst to her, Derek's partner inadvertently fans the flames of contamination by brushing off his clothes with a badminton racket, scattering the toxic dust further afield.
Elsewhere, fate brings Susan and Tracey together in the hospital, where they strike up an instant rapport. Ted, haunted by his father—a former steelworker battle-scarred by severe health issues—who urges him to flee Corby, remains steadfast in his commitment to aiding his father's recovery. The following day, he storms into the council office, determined to sound the alarm about the mismanagement of plant waste to Roy Thomas, a council member. However, Roy and his fellow officials exhibit a startling lack of concern, brushing aside Ted's warnings with indifferent disregard.
Time skips ahead to the pivotal moments when Susan and Tracey give birth. Soon after, a wave of anxiety washes over both women as they realize that things are not proceeding as smoothly as hoped. Susan's son enters the world with a noticeable hand deformity, while Tracey faces a grueling battle with excessive blood loss during delivery. To her further distress, she notices that her newborn daughter hasn't taken a single feed.
Susan finds herself plunged into guilt, subtly questioning whether her actions had led to her son's birth defect as she seeks answers about its cause. Meanwhile, Derek and his wife eagerly await the arrival of their own bundle of joy.
At Roy's birthday celebration, Pat, the contractor in charge of the ongoing project, attempts to ingratiate himself with Ted, who remains steadfast and unyielding in his stance against the safety violations. Ted's keen observations reveal a startling indifference among the council members towards the pressing issue.
Driven by a relentless determination to uncover the truth, Ted slips into a councillor's office under the cover of darkness and delves into documents pertaining to the Rhodes & Miller contract. To his astonishment, he uncovers evidence of tampering that falsely portrays compliance with hazard and toxic waste regulations.
As he starts photocopying the incriminating papers, a council member unexpectedly enters the room and gives him a subtle, yet chilling warning. The stakes are raised further when thugs torch Ted's car in a blatant act of intimidation, a clear message meant to scare him off from delving deeper into the council's shady dealings.
Susan's world crumbles as her husband drifts away from her after their son's birth, ultimately abandoning her and their children. On the other hand, Tracey receives the devastating news that her daughter was born with a severe congenital heart defect—a condition where her heart has only two chambers. Tragically, Tracey's daughter succumbs to the defect, leaving her heartbroken and shattered.
Susan, now embarking on her solo journey, starts to embrace her son little by little. Subsequently, she uncovers a startling revelation: a friend's child was同样 afflicted with an identical deformation, fueling her escalating doubts that all is not as it seems. The episode concludes with a haunting vision of contaminated waters contaminating pristine streams, blending sinisterly into the natural landscape.
