Campaigners calling for ‘Zane’s Law’, to protect communities from contaminated land, held a summit at the Houses of Parliament on the 11 June.
The proposed law would improve transparency around historic landfill sites and clarify who is responsible for making these safe. It is named after seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola, who died on 8 February 2014 when floodwater passed through landfill into the basement of his family’s home in Chertsey. His father, Kye Gbangbola, was left paralysed by the same incident.
Surrey Fire and Rescue Services detected high levels of hydrogen cyanide in Zane’s home. The landfill site has still not been properly tested, despite the discovery of a 2010 report warning of an “unacceptable risk” of migrating landfill gasses from the site causing “significant harm, serious injury and capable of causing death”.
Campaigners from more than twenty communities experiencing severe and sometimes fatal harms from toxic landfill and contaminated water spoke at the event, supported by the FBU and Baroness Natalie Bennett.
Speakers also included Des Collins, the solicitor who represented families affected by the toxic waste scandal in Corby, as dramatised in the recent Netflix series Toxic Town.
Zane’s parents, Kye and Nicole Gbangbola, continue to call for government action, saying that “Britain should be leading the way in environmental law. Instead our legislation is woefully inadequate.”
Baroness Natalie Bennett, who will chair the hybrid meeting, said:
Current UK regulations on contaminated land are grossly inadequate and a threat to the safety of many, especially given climate breakdown, rising sea levels, increased rainfall, and flooding. Zane’s Law proposes measures to address this crisis. The need to act was acknowledged in the 1990 Environment Protection Act, but then the protective provisions were removed after lobbying of the Conservative government by mass house builders. I hope, but sadly don't expect, that Sir Keir Starmer's government would step up to one of its primary responsibilities, to protect life."
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said:
Contamination from unregulated, historic landfill poses a serious threat to the environment, health and lives. With the climate emergency resulting in increasing floods, which threaten to spread this contamination, the government cannot ignore the rising risk.
Everyone should have the right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Firefighters, who are on the frontline of flooding incidents, stand with the communities who have been tragically impacted and with the continued call for justice for Zane.
The UK government must bring in Zane’s Law to save lives by properly regulating contaminated land and water.”
Zane’s parents, Kye and Nicole Gbangbola, said:
Today we’ll hear the brave voices of people who are struggling to get protection from the horrific impacts of living in proximity to toxic landfill and poisoned water – and hear them at the heart of government. Britain should be leading the way in environmental law, instead our legislation is woefully inadequate. We need Zane’s Law now!”
