Coastal erosion ‘landfill threat’

Coastal erosion may release waste from England’s historic coastal landfills in the next 40 years, according to research from Queen Mary University of London and the Environment Agency.

Historically unlined and filled with no records of the type of waste they contain, the research identified 122 sites which could contaminate surrounding estuaries and the sea.

Some historic coastal landfills, such as the East Tilbury landfill in the Thames Estuary, have started to erode. There are at least 1,215 historic coastal landfill sites in England, mostly clustered around estuaries with major cities, including Liverpool, London and Newcastle upon Tyne.

More than one-third are in proximity to designated environmental sites, and half of them are in or near to areas influencing bathing water quality.

Samantha Herbert