Traitors star Michael Sheen ‘opened Pandora’s Box’ as council leader backs public inquiry on toxic dumps

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

The leader of a local council has backed calls for Welsh Government to hold a public inquiry into historical contaminated waste sites across Wales.

The appeal by Wrexham Council Leader Cllr Mark Pritchard comes after a formal request by Caerphilly County Borough Council to Llyr Gruffydd MS, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, calling for a public inquiry.

Councillors in Caerphilly unanimously backed a request for a full public inquiry into hazardous waste disposal across Wales to identify all sites across the nation, what they contain and how to clean them up.

Councils across Wales have called for action following the BBC’s Buried documentary, where Traitors star Michael Sheen and a team of investigators and journalists follow up on decades of investigations by Douglas Gowan into toxic waste dumping in quarries, brickworks, agricultural land and more.

The programme focused on the actions of chemical manufacturer Monsanto – which had bases in Newport and Ruabon in Wrexham – but many more industrial giants are believed to have contributed to toxic waste sites.

These sites feature what are known as ‘forever chemicals’ – chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls – which accumulate in the body over time and can cause cancer, remaining harmful decades after they were dumped.

These have been found around sites including Llwyneinion Acid Tar Lagoon, Cefn Mawr and Ruabon – where Monsanto’s manufacturing plant was situated.

Research by Friends of the Earth estimates there could be more than 45,000 toxic waste dumps across Wales. Many of those are currently undocumented which has led to calls for a public inquiry.

Issues acknowledged 

According to reports in local paper the South Wales Argus, Mr Gruffydd acknowledged the issues raised by Buried, but said regulations governing waste movement are now “substantially stronger” than those in place historically and declined to support an inquiry, though also did not rule one out in future.

Cllr Pritchard said he was in favour of the Welsh Government holding a full investigation into the situation.

“I’m in the group supporting a public inquiry,” he said. “I think you should have a public inquiry, I really do.

“It isn’t just the contamination, it’s what’s within the contamination. These chemicals kill you.

“It shouldn’t be about money. It should be about doing what’s right for the regions where the contamination is.

“I hope that common sense prevails and they do have a public inquiry, I think that will send the right message to these companies. The polluter pays is a difficult one to enforce if you look what’s happening across America, Alabama and the affected communities there.

“Let’s be frank, if you live near a toxic waste site, you want to know what’s in there. I think that Michael Sheen has really opened up this Pandora’s box and you can’t put the top back on it now.

“I think what he’s done is good, he’s brought it to the attention of everybody and it has to be dealt with now.

“Welsh Government cannot miss this opportunity. They found the money for the coal fields regeneration and the tip slipping. They should find the money for this.

“You can’t avoid this. The Welsh Government have the authority, they have the power.”

Resident concerns

Asked to clarify Mr Gruffydd’s response to calls for a public inquiry, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We know residents are concerned about contamination, and we take those concerns seriously.

“That is why we are developing a Wales-wide strategy to restore former industrial land and protect communities from potential risks.

“Identifying and regulating contaminated land is a matter for local authorities and we have issued guidance on how they are to carry out their duties under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.”