AstraZeneca has announced proposals to close its Environmental Laboratory in Brixham, Devon, U.K. The laboratory, with 71 staff members, provides specialist services to assess the impact of pharmaceuticals and chemicals used by a range of industries on the environment.

The proposal to close the site has been made as the work undertaken at the laboratory is outside the organization’s strategic focus of developing innovative new medicines. The services currently provided on the site will be sourced from third parties.

Tony Broughton, head of U.K. operations at AstraZeneca, said, “We realize that this is difficult news for our employees at Brixham and our priority is to support them over the coming months. We also acknowledge the excellent work carried out by our people at the laboratory over its history. However, operating an environmental laboratory for the benefit of AstraZeneca and customers across a range of industries is not a core part of our strategy; therefore, after serious consideration, we propose to close the site. We are exploring a range of options for the future of the site and, if possible, would like to see the laboratory remain in use for scientific purposes.”

Subject to consultation and planning for a responsible closure, AstraZeneca anticipates business operations at the laboratory will cease by the end of March 2014.