A comprehensive investigation spanning ten months, from 2021 to 2022, has unearthed alarming evidence that 17 landfills across England are discharging a highly toxic liquid. This hazardous substance is replete with banned and potentially carcinogenic compounds known as “forever chemicals,” with some concentrations found to be 260 times above the safety threshold for drinking water. Despite the gravity of these findings, the government has admitted to a lack of precise information regarding the locations of these contaminated sites.
The study, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency, aimed to assess the chemical composition of leachate in both operational and closed landfills. Established from the 1960s to the present, these sites were scrutinized to garner a comprehensive overview of the pollutants they harbour, revealing a significant threat to public health and environmental safety. Read More
News Credit: Guardian Environment
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