Toxic chemicals have been found in water running through woodland used by children and dog walkers, sparking concerns about harmful pollution. The source of the problem is Ty Llwyd quarry in the village of Ynysddu in Caerphilly, which was used in the 1960s and '70s as a dump site by the now-defunct chemicals manufacturer, Monsanto.
The company used it to dispose of various substances including carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which have been shown to be toxic in humans and wildlife. They are also known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment.
For decades, villagers have complained about a 'foul-smelling brown, foamy liquid' flowing from the quarry and through the woodland after heavy rain. Testing of samples taken from water in an aeration chamber downstream from the landfill, which is designed to evaporate any hazardous substances, found a number of toxic and persistent industrial chemicals, including a PCB. You can get more Caerphilly news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
