Campaigners send pre-action letter to county borough council over former landfill site

Rev Paul Cawthorne, who leads the Clean up Ty Llwyd Quarry: end the toxic legacy campaign, said on its Crowd Justice page that law firm Goodenough Ring Solicitors had sent the letter setting out why the campaigners think the council’s decision not to classify the site as contaminated land is unlawful.

It has so far raised £14,248 towards a £20,000 stretch target to pay for legal proceedings.

Rev Cawthorne said: “We have asked the council to agree that its decision is unlawful and to reconsider whether to designate the land at and around Ty Llwyd quarry as contaminated.

“We think there should be an adequate assessment of the risks posed by PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyls] leaking from the site and that no decision can be taken until that has been carried out.”

He said that if the council refused to reconsider the group would apply to the High Court to pursue the case.

According to campaigners, Ty Llwyd Quarry continues to leak harmful chemicals into the surrounding woodland and river more than 50 years since toxic waste was last dumped.

It said PCBs are a type of persistent organic pollutant known to cause cancer in animals and damage to the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and because they do not break down are very hard to destroy.

The campaign said: “Endless testing and report writing has resulted in piecemeal measures without any action aimed at addressing the root cause,” of the pollution.

Caerphilly has been contacted for comment.

Mark Smulian