‘Ticking timebomb’ as ageing landfill dumps threaten English beaches

It is feared climate breakdown will increasingly cause pollutants from coastal dumps to leach into the sea. Photograph: Windmill Images/Alamy

Hundreds of ageing landfill dumps on the coast of England containing plastics, chemicals and other waste are a ticking timebomb threatening to leach pollution on to beaches and into the sea, new research shows.

The waste sites date back 100 years in some cases, and little is known about what has been dumped in them. Climate breakdown with associated rising sea levels and flooding are increasing the risk of a cocktail of pollutants entering the sea.