Birth defects and landfill sites

Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling for government action to reduce the use of landfill sites, as research to be published in the British Medical Journal tomorrow suggests that babies born within 2km of a landfill sites are more likely to have birth defects than babies born elsewhere. Eighty per cent of the UK's population live within 2km of a landfill site. The news comes as David Purchon, an Assembly appointed investigator considers his findings after an investigation into the notorious Nantygwyddon Tip in the Rhondda.

The government-funded research, carried out by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College, follows an earlier report in the Lancet, published in 1998, which suggested a link between birth defects and hazardous waste landfill sites. There are more than 300 landfill sites in England and Wales licensed to accept toxic waste and thousands that accept other wastes. The SAHSU research for the first time suggests that landfill sites taking other wastes may also be a risk. A list of waste sites in Wales is available from FOE.

Although the research is not conclusive, Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling on the National Assembly for Wales and the UK Government to take precautionary action by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. The UK Government's waste strategy currently does little to reduce the amount of hazardous and industrial waste sent to landfill, only setting a non-statutory target to reduce the amount by 15 per cent by 2005. They have however set a statutory target to reduce the amount of domestic waste going to landfill by 67 per cent by 2015. The National Assembly is considering higher targets for recycling and composting of municipal waste in its own Waste Strategy which is currently out for consultation.

Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling for further action from the UK Government:

• a higher statutory target for reducing industrial waste going to landfill;
• the annual increase in the landfill tax to at least double;
• and the introduction of a higher rate landfill tax for the disposal of hazardous waste.

And from the National Assembly:

• set out a clear ambition to aim for "zero waste" in Wales;
• ambitious targets for recycling of municipal waste;
• a statutory duty on local authorities to meet those targets.

Julian Rosser, Head of Campaigns at Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:
"This study adds to the fears of many people in Wales that if you are born near a landfill site you are more likely to be born with a birth defect. Although the authors rightly say we need further research, the Government must not use this as an excuse to delay action. They must reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Gordon Brown should increase the landfill tax with a higher rate for hazardous waste. Michael Meacher must introduce a statutory target to eliminate toxic waste dumping in landfill sites."

Notes

The sites that FOE considers to be of greatest concern are sites that take "special waste" - classified by the Environment Agency as "co-disposal sites" and "other sites taking special waste" - and those taking mixed biodegradable waste (such as Nantygwyddon Tip in the Rhondda).

There are 42 such sites in Wales. A list of these, compiled from Environment Agency information, by local authority, follows.

Landfill sites of concern in Wales

Key: CO: Co-disposal landfillsites
OL: Other landfill sites taking special waste
HCI: Household, Commercial and Industrial Waste Landfills

Blaenau Gwent
Silent Valley, Cwm Waunllwyd, Cemetery Road, Waunllwyd, NP23 4TN. (CO)

Bridgend
Tythegston Landfill, Tythegston Quarry, CF32 0NE. (OL)
Stormy West, Pyle, CF32 0NP. (HCI)

Caerphilly
Trehir Quarry, Trehir Quarry Landfill, Pandy Lane, Llanbradach, CF83 3RP. (OL)

Cardiff
Ferry Road Landfill, Ferry Road Landfill, Ferry Road, CF11 0JL. (OL)
Lamby Way Landfill Eastern Extension, Lamby Way, Rumney Moors, CF3 8EQ. (OL)
Lamby Way Landfill, Lamby Way, Rumney Moors, CF1 5EE. (OL)

Carmarthenshire
Nantycaws Landfill Phase 1, Llanddarog Road, Nantycaws, SA32 8BG. (HCI)
Nantycaws Phase 2, Llanddarog Road, Nantycaws, SA32 8BG. (CO)

Ceredigion
none

Conwy
Llanddulas Landfill Phase 1 & 3, Llandulas Quarry, LL22 8HP. (CO)
Llanddulas Landfill Phase 2, Llandulas Quarry, LL22 8HP. (CO)

Denbighshire
Llewesog Isa Quarry, Adj Bryn Mofydd Lane, LL16 4PG. (HCI)

Flintshire
Standard Landfill, Spencer Ind Est, Off Liverpool Road, Buckley, CH5 2NH. (CO)
Brookhill Landfill Site, Pinfold Industrial Estate, Pinfold Lane, CH7 3PS. (CO)
Sea View Farm 2, Stag Lane, L66 2LS. (HCI)

Gwynedd
Ffridd Rhasus Landfill, Morfa Road, Harlech, LL40 2YB. (HCI)Lwyn Isaf Landfill, Clynnog Fawr, Penygroes, LL55 1SH. (HCI)
Cilgwyn Landfill Disposal Site, Carmel, LL55 1AE. (HCI)

Merthyr Tydfil
Trecatti Landfill, Trecatti Landfill, Fochriw Road, Dowlais Top, CF8 9QK. (CO)

Monmouthshire
None

Neath Port Talbot
Giants Grave Landfill, The Saltings, Giants Grave Road, Briton Ferry, SA11 2LN. (OL)
Pwllfawatkin Landfill, Rhydyfro, Pontardawe, SA8 4RX. (CO)

Newport
Docks Way Landfill, Docks Way Landfill, Docks Way, Maesglas, NP9 2NS. (OL)

Pembrokeshire
St. Davids Landfill, Hendre Wen, St. Davids. (HCI)
Withyhedge Landfill Site, Bowlings Farm, Rudbaxton, SA62 4DB. (CO)

Powys
Palleg Landfill Site, Ty Canol Farm, Cwmtwrch Isaf, SA9 2UP. (HCI)
M R Tyres Transfer Station, Mill Green. (HCI)
Bryn Posteg Landfill Site, Tylwch Road, SY18 6JJ. (HCI)

Rhondda Cynon Taf
Bryn Pica Landfill, Bryn Pica Landfill, Merthyr Road, Llwydcoed, CF46 6PH. (HCI)
Nant Y Gwyddon Landfill, Nantygwyddon Landfill, Gelli, CF37 9LT. (HCI)
Coedely Reclamation & Dev Scheme, Coed Ely, CF39 8BW. (CO)

Swansea
Tir John Landfill, Fabian Way, Port Tennant, SA7 9XT. (HCI)

Torfaen
none

Vale Of Glamorgan
Graving Dock, Graving Docks, Off Cory Way, Barry Docks, CF1 7QB. (OL)
Rhoose Point Encapsulation, Rhoose Point, CF62 3EP. (OL)
Greenwood Quarry Landfill, Greenwood Quarry Landfill, Twyn Yr Odyn, CF5 6BG. (OL)

Wrexham
Astbury Quarry, Dark Lane, Burton, LL12 0AE. (CO)
Garren Claypit 2 Midlands, Tatham Road, Ruabon, LL14 6DR. (HCI)
Pen Y Bont, Newbridge, LL14 5AR. (HCI)
Gardden Claypit 1 Northern, Tatham Road, Ruabon, LL14 6DR. (HCI)
Hafod Quarry, Bangor Road, Johnstown, LL14 6ET. (CO)
W D A - Formerly Erie Electronic 1, Marlborough Road, Wrexham Ind Est, LL13 9RJ. (HCI)
W D A - Formerly Erie Electronic 2, Marlborough Road, Wrexham Ind Est, LL13 9RJ. (HCI)

Ynys Mon
Penhesgyn Gors Landfill, Penhesgyn Gors Farm, Llansadwrn, LL55 1AE. (CO)