What are we breathing in? Are our lifespans being cut short?-Launders Lane fires and the impact on people’s health.

The never ending fires on Launders Lane have been much spoken about of late despite being a regular occurrence for many years. As residents who live near the landfill site know, this is not just a current problem but one that has been impacting the Rainham community for nearly ten years now with very little having being done despite endless pleas from locals.

Smoke billowing across the area is all to frequent, as is the visit from our firefighters who attend the site daily. With the current heatwaves we are experiencing here in the London region, the toxic fumes are surely magnified and locals living next the mountains of landfill, are struggling to breathe.

Kelly who lives near Harris Academy School, told the Havering Daily:

“There has been much talk from the council about the landfill and the vast task of cleaning it up. I appreciate wanting to keep the firefighters safe as they have been doing their best in tough situation. However, I have not heard much care or compassion about residents health? What are we breathing in? Are our lifespans being cut short?

“This is going to take a long time to rectify, in the meantime what health conditions are developing? Are there any plans to help concerned residents with health checks and monitoring. This isn’t just for the residents next to fire. There is a potential health fall out for a massive part of Rainham.”

The new administration have taken this issue extremely seriously and are in talks with many different agencies including the Environment Agency to look at ways to resolve this problem.

It is estimated that to resolve the never ending fires on Launders Lane will cost around £10 million. However, there is no price on health and our Council Leader Councillor Ray Morgon is fully aware and appreciative of this issue and has made this a priority for him and his new team to address as quickly as they can.

Kelly and many other residents living with the awful toxic fumes on a daily basis, rightly fears for her health-especially in the long term.

She will now be speaking to Councillor Morgon directly to discuss further these issues blighting her and Havering.