'Rainham Volcano' council calls for new register

An east London council is calling on the government to introduce registers of contaminated sites across the country as it battles a contaminated landfill site that is perennially on fire.

The Arnolds Field in Launders Lane, Rainham, was officially declared contaminated following a judicial review in October.

The former illegal landfill site - dubbed the Rainham Volcano - has experienced a large number of fires since 2013 and the fire brigade has been called to the area 160 times in the past three years.

Havering Council's cabinet is expected back to the national Zane's Law campaign, which is aimed at setting up public registers of contaminated sites across the country, at its next meeting.

Soil analysis in November 2023 found the Launders Lane land contained asbestos, plastic bags, crisp packets, bricks, cans, polystyrene and asphalt.

In its 20-year history, the land has also been used as an illegal weapons store and a cannabis farm.

Havering Council found the fires released harmful particulates, with evidence linking smoke exposure to increased GP visits for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

It has also acknowledged "repeated and persistent stress, regarding an issue that is out of one's control for example, fire and resulting smoke, is also recognised to result in negative psychological and physical reactions".

The council did not originally declare the land contaminated, but a successful push for a judicial review saw the High Court rule it was mistaken.

It found council officers had relied on incomplete data and misunderstood legal definitions around contamination by "wrongly believing" toxic smoke did not qualify.

Speaking ahead of the cabinet meeting, council leader Ray Morgon said: "We know how residents feel about the issue of contaminated land and the distress and damage it can cause to both physical and mental health.

"We also know how difficult it is to solve issues like this as legislation does not support the costs associated with making historic landfill sites safe for all those who live nearby."

He said backing the Zane's Law campaign was an "an easy decision as it is about protecting our local communities".

"If agreed it will also mean it will cover the costs of dealing with contaminated land, which is clearly a major issue for councils who are struggling from years of underfunding," he added.

"We will therefore be lobbying the government and our local MPs to see this through parliament."

The proposed new legislation was named for seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola, whose parents say was killed by gas from an old landfill in 2014.

The London Assembly unanimously decided to supported Zane's Law last November.

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