Dagenham and Rainham MP gives evidence to House of Commons Environment Committee regarding Launders Lane.

‘Improving air quality should be important to this Government so I trust that the recommendations from this House of Commons committee inquiry are strong and reflect the public health harms that result from air pollution.‘

Jon Cruddas MP has submitted evidence concerning the situation at Launders Lane to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee as part of their inquiry into Government air quality targets.

The MP highlighted the long-term danger to Rainham residents’ health posed by ongoing underground fires at the former landfill site, which have contributed to very poor air quality in the surrounding area. He also called on the Government to finally help local authorities to deal with the situation effectively, and to hold those responsible to account for the damage they have done to the local environment and potentially to residents’ health. 

Jon has been a consistent advocate for improving air quality and public health, campaigning in the past against the Government’s plans for a second mass waste incinerator at Belvedere. But he also recognizes that this must be done in a way that puts working people first. This is why he has vocally criticized the expansion of ULEZ as the wrong system for improving air quality, introduced at the wrong time. 

The Environmental Audit Committee investigation, which has also heard evidence from public health figures such as Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty, is expected in the coming months.

Jon said: “Improving air quality should be important to this Government so I trust that the recommendations from this House of Commons committee inquiry are strong and reflect the public health harms that result from air pollution. It’s a staggering indictment that a present what we consider in Britain to be acceptable is many times worse than the World Health Organisation’s limit for safe air quality.”

Margaret commented: “I fully endorse Jon’s submission and his efforts over the years to have action taken at Arnolds Field to tackle the fires. The residents of Rainham have suffered from the irresponsible and illegal acts that have taken place on this land over the years. Havering Council is taking the issue seriously, although for reasons that I find inexplicable, they failed to do so before 2022. What I am pressing for now is to get to the quickest, safest and most sustainable solution to tackling the fires to stop the pollution from the fires so that all residents across Rainham can breathe clean air.”

Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!

We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.

Support Local Journalism
We at The Havering Daily appreciate your support of quality journalism. Your generous donation, no matter the size, allows us to continue bringing unbiased and informative news to the community. Your contribution helps us maintain our independence and allows us to continue providing high-quality journalism. Thank you for valuing the work we do and for supporting our mission

Thank you