Key Points
- Havering’s local MPs, councillors, and campaigners have united to support Zane’s Law, a proposed legislation to enhance monitoring and remediation of contaminated land in the UK.
- Zane’s Law stems from the 2014 death of seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola from hydrogen cyanide gas exposure during flooding near a historic landfill in Chertsey, Surrey; his father Kye Gbangbola was paralysed by the same poisoning.
- Key proposals include local authorities maintaining public registers of potentially contaminated land, the Environment Agency creating a national register, mandatory inspections and remediation, and government funding under the ‘polluter pays’ principle.
- Recent meeting involved Kye Gbangbola, Council Leader Councillor Ray Morgon, Margaret Mullane MP, a representative of Julia Lopez MP, campaigner Ruth Kettle-Frisby, and Havering’s Chief Executive, agreeing to lobby the Prime Minister.
- Havering Council endorsed Zane’s Law at its Cabinet meeting on 12 November 2025, following designation of Launders Lane site as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
- Local issues at Launders Lane/Arnold’s Field involve underground fires from illegal waste dumping, causing smoke pollution affecting residents’ health.
- Supporters include the Greater London Authority and other councils; campaign aims for cross-party backing to protect communities from toxic land risks.
- Statements from Councillor Ray Morgon, MPs Margaret Mullane and Julia Lopez’s representative, Ruth Kettle-Frisby, Kye Gbangbola, and Zane’s mother emphasise urgency for legislative change.
Havering (East London Times) March 25, 2026 – Members of Parliament, councillors, and campaigners in the London Borough of Havering have rallied behind Zane’s Law, demanding national legislation to bolster powers for monitoring and remediating toxic land sites that threaten residents. This unified push follows a key meeting where local leaders pledged to urge the Prime Minister for action, highlighting the borough’s own struggles with contaminated landfills like Launders Lane. The campaign, led by bereaved father Kye Gbangbola, seeks to prevent tragedies like the death of his son Zane in 2014 from hydrogen cyanide poisoning linked to flood-contaminated land.
What is Zane’s Law?
Zane’s Law proposes comprehensive measures to tackle contaminated land across the UK, prioritising public safety over ambiguity in current guidance. As outlined in Havering Council’s official statement, it requires every local authority to maintain a full, regularly updated public Register of Land that may be contaminated within their boundary.
The Environment Agency would oversee a national public register updated by local inputs, with all registers accessible for public inspection.
Further, relevant authorities must inspect registered sites and fully remediate or enforce remediation for any posing harm to public safety or polluting controlled waters.
This extends to previously closed landfill sites risking significant harm, with government funding provided upfront and costs recovered via the ‘polluter pays’ principle where polluters are identifiable. Havering Council’s Cabinet report from 12 November 2025 details these principles, recommending lobbying for their introduction to address resourcing gaps for local authorities.
The Greater London Authority motion supports identical requirements, stressing funding and resources for London boroughs to inspect and remediate sites. As reported in the council’s news release, these steps aim to protect people and the planet unequivocally.
Why was Zane’s Law created?
The campaign originated from the tragic death of seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola on 8 February 2014, during catastrophic flooding from the River Thames in Chertsey, Surrey. Floodwater passed through a nearby historic landfill, carrying hydrogen cyanide gas (HCN) into the family home, where high levels were later detected by Surrey Fire and Rescue Services. Zane’s father, Kye Gbangbola, was left paralysed with a medical diagnosis of HCN poisoning.
Kye Gbangbola has led the push for legislation empowering local authorities and campaigners against dangerous contaminated land. Zane’s grieving mother stated, as quoted in Havering Council’s release:
“This is a real opportunity to fix our broken waste system, and push forward the ability of this country to keep its citizens, and its children safe. Every family and every child deserves a safe home”.
Kye Gbangbola added:
“Public Authorities, Mayors, and Unions, across the country are unifying, along with the London Borough of Havering, to end the poisoning of communities, and bring Zane’s Law to statute, as seen at the Zane’s Law; Clean Land (Human Rights) Bill Parliamentary Summit, last June. Communities need clean, healthy, sustainable environments, protecting people now, and preventing the intergenerational harm of cancers, birth defects, and blighted homes etc. Zane’s Law supports economic growth by enabling remediated, clean land to contribute to delivering the infrastructure and housing the country needs. In addition, it develops knowledge and skill for our laboratory testing and remediation industries as delivered at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Stratford”.
What is Havering Council’s role?
Havering Council has formally endorsed Zane’s Law, with Cabinet set to back it on 12 November 2025 via a detailed report on background, local position, and lobbying strategy. Leader Councillor Ray Morgon said, as reported by Havering Council news:
“We know how residents feel about the issue of contaminated land and the distress and damage it can cause to both physical and mental health. We also know how difficult it is to solve issues like this as legislation does not support the costs associated with making historic landfill sites safe for all those who live nearby. Supporting Zane’s Law is clearly an easy decision as it is about protecting our local communities. Havering will continue to champion this cause and work with partners to push for stronger national legislation. If agreed it will also mean it will cover the costs of dealing with contaminated land which is clearly an major issue for councils who are struggling from years of underfunding. We will therefore be lobbying the Government and our local MPs to see this through Parliament”.
In a 24 March 2026 update, Councillor Ray Morgon reiterated:
“As a Council, we have already endorsed Zanes’ Law, but I wanted Kye to meet with our MPs to brief them so that they could support too. I am pleased to say that all in the meeting agreed to do so and that this should be above politics and receive cross-party support. We know firsthand in the borough the impact contaminated land has on residents, with Launders Lane affecting so many people from the smoke, which is caused by illegally dumped waste several years ago. Current legislation does not make it easy for councils to take action and it has taken us a number of years and a judicial review before we were in a position to consider a solution. We have also had to find money for this, and as everyone knows, we are cash-strapped. Hopefully, if this legislation is agreed, it will make it easier to solve more quickly”.
The council recently designated Launders Lane/Arnold’s Field as contaminated land, triggering duties to remediate and potentially prosecute those responsible.
Who are the key supporters in Havering?
Local MPs have joined the fray: Margaret Mullane MP for Dagenham and Rainham said: “I fully support Zane’s Law and actions to protect communities from historic landfill pollution.
The health of Rainham residents has suffered too long from the underground fires at the historic landfill at Launders Lane. I will continue fighting locally and in Parliament to protect residents from the harm caused by illegal dumping of rubbish”. A representative of Julia Lopez MP also attended the pivotal meeting.
Campaigner and Green Party member Ruth Kettle-Frisby, founder of Clear the Air in Havering, stated:
“Contaminated land is causally connected to contaminated water and toxic air, and signals an inequitable environmental health crisis across the UK. Zane’s Law would ensure public protection via statutory transparency and accountability for contaminated land at no cost to the public purse.
Together, we call on the government to protect the equal right of all children, including children living here in Rainham, to a clean and healthy environment in law”.
As reported by Mishcon de Reya on 24 October 2025, Ruth Kettle-Frisby added:
“This is a victory for Rainham residents; an important stepping stone towards justice for children living at the sharp end of this health crisis caused by toxic smoke from relentless fires. The High Court ruling has forced Havering Council to recognise smoke from the fires as a contamination pathway, and therefore a legal precedent has been set. In highly welcome news, having consistently lobbied Havering Council to table a motion in support of Zane’s Law, we expect this report to be presented at full council next month. Zane’s Law would require local authorities and the environment agency to keep public registers of any land that could be contaminated. Crucially, they would be required to ensure these sites are regularly inspected and remediated via government funding that is recouped where possible according to the polluter pays principle. Clear the Air in Havering is now focused on lobbying for swift action from Havering Council. It’s imperative that Rainham children and the London Fire Brigade are protected from yet another summer of hell”.
Havering’s Chief Executive also endorsed the campaign in the recent meeting.
How does Launders Lane connect to this?
Launders Lane has been a flashpoint, with underground fires from illegal dumping producing toxic smoke harming residents, especially children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues. Following a High Court judicial review by Clear the Air in Havering, represented by Mishcon de Reya, the council quashed its prior refusal and designated the site contaminated in October 2025. Emily Nicholson, partner at Mishcon de Reya, commented:
“This is a significant step forward in dealing with the toxic pollution caused by the fires on the site. Local residents have endured yet another further summer of frequent fires and consequent pollution with terrible effects on health, particularly for young children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. For the first time, the Council is now under specific legal obligations to take the steps necessary to prevent the fires and clear up the site”.
The council must now serve remediation notices, step in if needed, recoup costs, and hold directors liable. This precedent underscores the need for Zane’s Law, as noted in The Havering Daily on 15 September 2025:
“Havering Council has finally indicated in its recent Cabinet report update on 17 September 2025 that further inaction regarding the Launders Lane fires is simply not an option”.
