More than 800 sign 'Close Hafod tip' petition
A petition launched to close Hafod tip in the wake of the recent fire has already attracted more than 800 signatories.
The petition was launched by Plaid Cymru MS Llyr Gruffydd, who said "enough is enough - the people living in Ruabon and Johnstown have put up with the Hafod landfill's smells and pollution for more than a decade and it's time it was closed down.
"The landfill site was opened about 14 yrs ago, originally to take waste from Merseyside and the majority of the waste dumped there is still from England. This is a kick in the teeth for local residents as Wrexham Council leads the way in terms of recycling, with only 0.4% of its domestic waste going to landfill. None of it goes to Hafod.
"As with the Kronospan fire in January, mobile air-quality monitoring equipment had to be moved in from Swansea by Natural Resources Wales and took days to arrive. Arguably the worst of the damage had already been caused by the thick plume of smoke. Even so, within two hours, that equipment detected particulates above acceptable levels and residents were told to stay indoors with windows shut for three days (during the hottest spell of the year).
"Without wanting to alarm people, burning plastics and other waste creates dioxins and furans, chemicals that accumulate in the food chain and can cause cancer.
"The arguments about waste have now moved on and dumping plastics and other waste is being replaced by a philosophy of recycling and re-use. Landfill is unsustainable and, as has been shown here, dangerous. That's why we need other councils and businesses to rethink how they're dealing with their waste and stop using landfill."
The petition has three simple demands:
- Hafod landfill is too close to people's homes and should be closed
- Independent air-monitoring equipment for future incidents should be located more strategically, with at least one kit in the North
- An independent inquiry into the cause of the fire and the management of the site should be undertaken.
Please sign and share the petition:
Read more about how Wales is leading the way to a zero landfill future: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50853509
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