Safety works planned for quarry site where toxic waste was dumped

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

New improvement works are expected at a former quarry where residents fear buried chemicals are leaching into the wider area.

Toxic waste dumped decades ago at Ty Llwyd, near Ynysddu, includes harmful PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which have since been found to be highly carcinogenic and a “persistent” organic pollutant.

Heavy periods of rainfall have driven concerns among campaigners that contaminated water is flowing into the nearby Pantyffynnon community woodland and towards homes.

Caerphilly County Borough Council, which now owns the land at the former quarry, will receive up to £775,000 in the next financial year to make the site safer and tackle the risk of leachate.

The Welsh Government, which is providing the funding, has acknowledged it may not be possible for the council to complete the full range of proposed works within the financial year, however.

Environmental impacts

Government documents show the funding is specifically “to enable site improvement works at the former Ty Llwyd landfill to reduce off-site environmental impacts and support future management requirements”.

The funding covers additional surveying, boreholes, fencing and bank retention works.

Caerphilly Council will also be funded to carry out further feasibility work, including “capping” at the site, if possible.

A council spokesperson said: “We welcome the Welsh Government funding, which will help maintain the Ty Llwyd site, particularly with surface water management, borehole installation, and to carry out a geophysical survey to better understand the waste mass location and its impact on groundwater.

“However, as the Welsh Government acknowledges in its correspondence, it may not be possible to deliver all aspects of the works outlined given the limited delivery timeframe.”

Two Ynysddu ward representatives, who have campaigned for the quarry to be cleaned up and made safe, said the council should be more “open and transparent” with the community about the situation at the site and any planned works.

Site meeting

Councillors Jan Jones and Janine Reed said the local authority had refused their request to meet at the quarry and discuss control measures.

“We asked for a site meeting at the quarry and to include a few residents to see the work being carried out, but were told officers were too busy,” said Cllr Jones, adding that she was also waiting to see a consultant’s report on the situation at Ty Llwyd.

Cllr Reed said the refusal of a site meeting was “possibly a sad reflection on how this council is treating residents who live next to this toxic site”.

She claimed the council was still not permitted to discharge leachate into the nearby woods, where more land is now expected to be enclosed.

Cllr Reed said this is “the same woodland leachate that has been found for many years, where residents have walked their dogs, had picnics, and played with their children.

“The council has known this but has not warned residents to keep out because of contamination – only very recently have they warned people to stay out as it is ‘private land,’” she added.