2. Statement by the First Minister: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 11:34 am on 10 June 2020.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 11:34, 10 June 2020

First Minister, the calls to protect people's right to breathe clean air have clearly intensified during recent months, and I'm sure you'll share my concern that the Hafod landfill site near Wrexham caught fire a fortnight ago. Thick black plumes of smoke passed over the large neighbouring communities, communities, by the way, of course, who'd fought a vigorous campaign some years ago to prevent waste being dumped there. Now, as with the recent fire at nearby Kronospan, mobile air-quality monitoring equipment had to be moved in from Swansea, and that took days to arrive. Arguably, the worst of the damage had already been done, but within two hours of its arrival, the equipment actually detected particulates above the acceptable levels, and residents were told to stay indoors with windows shut for three days. We know, of course, that burning plastics and other wastes creates dioxins and furans, chemicals that can accumulate in the food chain, and, of course, they can cause cancer as well. 

Now, hundreds of people have signed the petition saying that enough is enough, and they want to see the Hafod tip close. So, will you, as First Minister, ensure that an independent inquiry is held into the cause of the fire, and that the Hafod landfill site is closed, or at least is closed until the inquiry is concluded? And will the Government also now ensure that we have mobile air quality monitoring equipment located here in north Wales so that we don't have to wait days on end for it to arrive for any future incidents, by which time, of course, most of the damage has already been done?