Polluters responsible for land contamination must pay to put it right – Niamh Salkeld MS

Senedd urged to unite around calls on the UK Government to address land contamination and make polluters pay

The UK Government must hold polluters responsible for contamination affecting communities across Wales and pay to put it right, Plaid Cymru’s Niamh Salkeld MS has said.

It’s estimated that there are 45,000 contaminated land sites across Wales including Ty Llwyd Quarry, Ynysddu – which featured in Michael Sheen’s recent documentary on toxic industrial waste – where substances were dumped by Monsanto in the 1960s and 70s.

The Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Blaeneau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni is today (Wednesday 30 September 2026) leading a debate in the Senedd on land contamination, and calls for Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to ensure costs of remediation are borne by polluters; and for the UK Government to fund investigation and remediation where costs cannot be recovered by those responsible.

The motion also calls for Welsh Government to establish a national framework to test and assess potentially contaminated land, and to support local authorities to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, Niamh Salkeld said communities have been left to face the consequences while polluters are “let off the hook”:

Niamh Salkeld MS said:

“For many people across Wales and in communities like Ynysddu – our industrial past is not simply something we remember. Its legacy is something that they continue to live alongside every single day.

“Historic industrial activity means substance is left to seep into our land or waters for decades, and in the case of some chemicals, for generations – posing severe risks to human health, animal health and to the wider environment.

“While communities still face the consequences today, too often, polluters have been let off the hook.

“This Member Debate isn’t just about making sure that the legacy of our industrial past is managed properly – it’s an opportunity for the Senedd to unite for the sake of our communities.

“Together, we can ensure a clearer national picture of contaminated land, prioritising the sites where there is greater risk, support local authorities, and urge the UK Government to hold polluters responsible and contribute to putting it right.”

Independent Councillor for Ynysddu, Cllr. Janine E Reed, said:

“For our community, Ty Llwyd is not an abstract environmental issue – it is something that has been hanging over us for years. The consequences of what has happened here are felt by the people who live alongside it.

“We need the contamination to be properly understood, the risks to our community to be taken seriously, and a clear plan to ensure that Ty Llwyd along with other sites in Wales, do not continue to be a source of concern for local people – with reassurance that our community and its future are being protected.”