Seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola died in the early hours of 8 February 2014, during catastrophic River Thames flooding at Chertsey in Surrey.
Floodwater passing through a nearby historic landfill site conducted hydrogen cyanide gas (HCN) into Zane’s home, where it was later detected at high levels by Surrey Fire and Rescue Services. Zane’s father was left paralysed, with a medical diagnosis of HCN poisoning.
A 2010 ‘desktop study’ report on this landfill, commissioned by the Environment Agency in relation to a planning application, confirms that the local authority knew then that the land potentially posed a ‘high risk to life’. Yet they did nothing to warn residents, either before, during or after the 2014 flooding. And to this day, they have adamantly refused to fully test the land, which has flooded catastrophically again this year.
It’s time for Zanes Law.
Hillingdon Green Party is working with others across the country to Make Toxic Landfills safe and support Zane’s Law.