Toxic waste sites exposed in Michael Sheen documentary are 'tip of the iceberg'

A former Monsanto worker has come forward with harrowing details about the handling of toxic waste at the company's Newport factory in the 1990s. Stephen Constance, who spent three years involved in sealing waste underground, stated that employees were given "cheap" protective equipment and were not informed about the nature of the materials they were burying.

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cheap protective equipment and were not told what they were burying.

Constance's testimony follows the BBC documentary "Buried with Michael Sheen," which brought attention to Wales' legacy of toxic waste. However, Dr. David Megson, a scientist featured in the documentary, warns that the 14 sites identified are merely the "tip of the iceberg." He estimates there are approximately 20,000 sites of high concern across the UK, painting a grim picture of the nation's environmental health.

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The country is in a really dire place.

"The country is in a really dire place," Dr. Megson stated, emphasizing that public pressure is the only viable route to compel action. His research, which involved extensive scientific data collection, revealed that these sites are actively leaking a "chemical cocktail." While the exact composition is under investigation, the presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) is a significant concern, as these are suspected carcinogens.

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Public pressure is the only thing that's going to make this action happen. This is our only chance, if I'm being brutally honest.

Dr. Megson expressed alarm after finding PCB levels at some sites that were among the highest he had ever encountered. He noted that the polluter "just keeps getting away with stuff left, right and centre." A 2006 report, seen by BBC Wales, indicated that the acid tar lagoon, one of the sites featured, was known to be contaminated as early as 1979. Despite numerous investigations and remediation proposals over the years, the site remains contaminated, posing 105 potential risks to people, wildlife, property, and water supplies.

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What our data shows is those sites are leaking and those sites are a chemical cocktail. Whether it's the PCBs alone is up for debate.