Historic Landfills Pose Growing Threat Amid Rising Flood Risk and Climate Change
The devastating February 2014 floods across southeast England, driven by extraordinary weather conditions, brought renewed attention to the risks posed by historic landfill sites.
Extensive flooding of the River Thames and its tributaries caused by heavy rainfall and already saturated ground led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents and the destruction of thousands of homes and businesses.
One particularly tragic incident occurred in Chertsey, Surrey, where seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola died on the night of the floods.
A coroner ruled that his death was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from a petrol pump used to remove floodwaters.
However, the family has maintained that the toxic gas hydrogen cyanide—released when the River Thames flooded a nearby old landfill site—was the actual cause of their son’s death.
The environmental concerns tied to these old landfill sites are vast. Over the past century, millions of tonnes of hazardous waste were buried in unregulated areas, such as abandoned quarries, saltmarshes, and floodplains.
Unlike modern, highly engineered landfills that are lined and sealed to prevent the escape of toxic substances, these old sites lacked the protections necessary to contain hazardous pollutants.
Consequently, when flooding events, like those in winter 2013-2014, occur, dangerous substances such as hydrogen cyanide and other toxic compounds can leach into floodwaters, posing health risks to nearby populations.
The Gbangbola family’s case is connected to a handful of these abandoned sites, yet there are an estimated 20,000 “historic landfills” scattered across the UK.
Defined by the Environment Agency as sites with no active environmental permits, these historic landfills predate laws introduced in the 1990s and 2000s, which implemented stringent controls to limit environmental harm.
Many of these sites contain a mix of heavy metals, industrial and medical waste, pesticides, and even hazardous materials like asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), all of which pose risks to both human and environmental health.
Research indicates that at least 4,000 of these historic landfill sites are located in areas with at least a 1% annual risk of river flooding or a 0.5% chance of coastal flooding—regions lacking effective flood defenses.
Additionally, many of these sites sit in groundwater protection zones, where the risk of contaminating water supplies is particularly high if waste leaks occur.
Climate change is worsening the threat. Rising flood risks, more frequent extreme weather events, and coastal erosion could displace hazardous chemicals from these old landfill sites into rivers, lakes, and drinking water supplies.
As saltwater from rising seas mixes with these pollutants, some toxic substances become more mobile, further exacerbating their environmental threat.
Dr. [Researcher/Study Lead’s Name], a leading expert on historic landfills, highlights the scale of this growing issue, noting that climate change has made addressing these old waste sites increasingly urgent.
Yet, efforts to mitigate their impact have been slow, primarily due to the sheer scale of the problem and the financial burden of cleanup and prevention measures.
The potential threats are vast: from extreme flooding events releasing toxic chemicals into public waterways to droughts drying out and weakening landfill structures, making them more vulnerable to collapse.
Additionally, rising temperatures are enhancing the volatility of certain pollutants, increasing their ability to escape into the air and water.
Modern drinking water treatment systems are designed to filter out many contaminants, but the release of “forever chemicals” and other toxic substances from these old sites can strain these systems, potentially requiring upgrades to maintain clean and safe drinking water for affected populations.
The need for action is clear, yet the scale of the task remains daunting. Experts suggest that the first step involves identifying the most dangerous historic landfill sites and implementing targeted cleanup and protection strategies.
Such efforts would include mining waste for resources, improving flood protections, and investing in advanced technologies to mitigate environmental risks. However, these efforts will require substantial financial investment and political commitment.
The waste legacies of the past will likely burden future generations for decades unless decisive action is taken now. With climate change exacerbating the problem, experts emphasize the urgency of addressing these historic landfills to prevent further environmental and public health consequences.