Plaid Cymru councillors are urging Caerphilly Council and other local authorities to be more transparent with the public over contaminated land in their areas.
Caerphilly councillors Steve Skivens and Charlotte Bishop said that the recent BBC TV documentary Buried by Hollywood actor Michael Sheen had highlighted the need for registers of toxic land to be easily available to the public.
Councillor Steve Skivens, who sits on the National Landfill Campaign, said: “People have a right to know what is lying behind their feet.
“For many years campaigners and residents have sought information and raised concerns concerning contaminated waste in landfill sites around Wales. Unfortunately, due to Caerphilly’s industrial past, several such sites are present in our communities. Such contamination doesn’t stay in one location it can enter watercourses and through inclement weather run off into surrounding areas.
“Local councillors have attempted to unravel the complexity of who owns these sites, who monitors them, what went into them, who dumped them and what are the risk levels. However, often there are little or poor records and a lack of transparency over monitoring and testing.”
Councillor Steve Skivens, who has raised the contaminated land issue for many years, said: “It is worrying that people have raised these issues for decades with limited action evident from the authorities. Also, where are the prosecutions for illegal dumping of dangerous substances in accordance with the environmental protection legislation?”
Councillor Charlotte Bishop, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly Council, said: “I’m appalled at the lack of information and guidance to residents. But we’re determined to the issue of keep contaminated land firmly on the agenda, with site meetings being arranged with Caerphilly County Borough Council and relevant reports being reviewed.
“We’ve previously worked closely with Independent councillors and members of the Senedd on these issues, and we’re determined not to let them be forgotten. We’ll continue to push for proper scrutiny, transparency and action where it’s needed, working with the council and relevant agencies to make sure residents’ concerns are properly addressed.”