The Senedd unanimously approved a cross‑party motion led by Plaid Cymru MS Niamh Salkeld urging Welsh and UK governments to make polluters pay for contaminated land cleanup. The motion calls for a UK fund to address sites where remediation costs cannot be recovered and for a national testing and prioritisation framework. The campaign was amplified by Michael Sheen's BBC documentary and a Friends of the Earth FOI suggesting up to 45,000 potentially contaminated sites in Wales. Welsh ministers pledged to develop a Wales‑wide strategy to restore post‑industrial land and protect affected communities.
Senedd Unanimously Backs Michael Sheen‑Inspired Push to Make Polluters Pay for Toxic Land Cleanup
Michael Sheen investigated Wales' toxic legacy in a BBC iPlayer documentary [BBC/Wall to Wall]
The Senedd has given unanimous backing to a cross‑party motion urging Welsh ministers to work with the UK government to ensure polluters cover the costs of investigating and remediating contaminated land.
The motion, introduced by Plaid Cymru MS Niamh Salkeld and supported across party lines, also calls for a UK‑level fund to address sites where costs cannot be recovered and for a consistent national framework to test and prioritise potentially contaminated land.
The push for action followed the BBC documentary Buried With Michael Sheen, in which the actor investigated allegations that toxic waste had harmed people at 14 sites across Wales and England. Sheen later visited Westminster to press MPs to support a national testing programme.
In the Senedd debate, members recounted detailed local histories of sites that remain a concern for residents. Speakers emphasised that communities living beside suspected contaminated land should not be left with the uncertainty, health risks, and financial burden of remediation.
Niamh Salkeld said a "clearer national picture of contaminated land" is needed [Senedd Cymru]
"It's about having a clearer national picture of contaminated land. It's about prioritising the sites where the risks are greatest. It's about giving local authorities the support that they need, and it's about making sure that where possible, those responsible for pollution contribute to the cost of putting it right," said Niamh Salkeld.
Campaigners pointed to a Friends of the Earth Freedom of Information inquiry suggesting there may be more than 45,000 potentially contaminated sites in Wales, while only 82 sites are officially designated as contaminated — a disparity speakers said underlines the need for a comprehensive national testing and registration regime.
Reform MS Andrew Griffin said communities near potentially unsafe sites "deserve answers" and a system that establishes facts and funds necessary action. Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates highlighted a previous combined pledge of over £240m from Welsh and UK Labour ministers for coal‑tip remediation, arguing it shows all levels of government must act together.
Conservative MS Janet Finch‑Saunders called for greater transparency — including regular inspections and up‑to‑date public registers — so local people can see where sites are, what risks have been identified and what remediation is under way.
Rural Resilience and Sustainability Minister Llyr Gruffydd pledged the Welsh Government is "absolutely committed to developing a Wales‑wide strategy to progressively restore post‑industrial land and to protect communities from those potential risks that come with that legacy." He said he would work to ensure former industrial land is made safe and that public health is protected.
The motion was passed with no objections. The documentary Buried With Michael Sheen is available on BBC iPlayer for viewers wanting more detail on the cases raised during the debate.
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