Thousands of landfill dumps in the UK may begin to leak dangerous substances into streets, beaches and rivers as a result of coastal erosion, flooding and a historical lack of regulations, according to new research.

Analysis of ageing landfill dumps in the UK shows that 2,946 are located in flood plains, with 1,655 of these containing dangerous materials, including asbestos. Ageing dumps are particularly at risk as they pre-date EU waste regulations which state that they must include a protective lining to protect waste from severe weather.

The storms which ravaged the UK this winter have shown that even sturdy weather-defence systems can be breached by sustained rainfall. In 2015, extreme weather damaged the walls of a dump in Dublin and exposed hundreds of metres of rubbish, including rusted metal and heavy plastics, to the elements.

With climate change set to increase the frequency of floods and storm surges across the UK, sites will become even more vulnerable, increasing the risk to people and marine wildlife.

Friends of the Earth Campaigner, Guy Shrubsole, said: “The research is alarming. Britain’s leaky landfills could turn out to be a toxic timebomb.”

At TrakRap, whilst we’re longstanding advocates of recycling and environmentally friendly practices, we appreciate that landfill sites remain a necessity. However, we would call on the government to reinforce the UK’s ageing dumps in order to prevent further environmental damage.