BACK TO TOP

We need remediation without the climate vandalism

Background

ERI Ltd launched its pre-application consultation in early 2024 to mine two coal tips in Bedwas, South Wales. The company is proposing to extract a total of around 468,000 tonnes of coal from both tips. This would drive further climate chaos by over 1.3 million tonnes of CO2, as well as devastate the coal tips’ natural regeneration over the past 30 years since it was abandoned. The project also endangers the beautiful Sirhowy Valley Country Park bordering one of the tips. ERI Ltd claims it would use some of the profits from the coal mining to restore the coal tips afterwards. This amounts to more coal mining to clean up the mess left by old coal mining—we’ve been here before with the nearby Ffos-y-fran site, and we know it doesn’t end well.

Established industry practice

Thousands of coal tips scatter the UK, but are concentrated in the former coal field areas - and 40% of coal tips are to be found in South Wales. Applications to mine coal tips of coal that was once discarded in the tips but has since become commercially valuable stretch back to at least 1984. We searched a single Local Planning Authority's planning portal within a former coalfield area in each nation of the UK, to provide a snapshot showing how established and widespread this industry practice is.

Wales

Scotland

England

Remediation without the climate vandalism

With over 300 category D coal tips in South Wales alone, ERI Ltd’s proposal could trigger a new wave of coal mining if it were successful. For the sake of localised impacts and our collective climate, we are therefore committed to challenging an application by ERI Ltd every step of the way, together with the local community resistance, Sirhowy Valley Country Park support group, Good Law Project, Friends of the Earth Cymru, and Climate Cymru.

Regular safety monitoring is considered sufficient for most category D coal tips abandoned by the coal industry in South Wales. But for coal tips that pose a danger to nearby communities, more coal mining isn’t the solution—we need swift remediation sensitive to local ecologies and lives. These diverse fungi were spotted by a local resident on a single walk nearby the coal tips:

Check out Climate Cymru's new video on the Bedwas Tips!

Published: 21. 08. 2024 Updated 25. 10. 2024

Share now:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Never miss an update! Sign up to our Newsletter

OTHER STORIES

New advice shows Government how coal prohibition can prevent all new coal prospecting

In November 2024, the UK Government announced its commitment to legislating a ban of new coal mining licences. This was a commitment that Coal Action Network had secured a manifesto commitment from the Government for, along with four other major parties…

Barristers tackle tip law and licensing

Coal Action Network has obtained new legal advice from expert Barristers Estelle Dehon (KC) and Rowan Clapp of Cornerstone Chambers, London. Examining relevant…

Consultants enabling massive restoration cut

We informed each contractor what this mining company was up to, and the long record of criminal fraud, physical violence, and belligerence of David Lewis, the company’s director. Of those contractors, the ones listed below refused to rule out continuing to aid Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd dodge…

Lifting the lid on damage done by David Stanley Lewis of Pontypool

In 2015, David Stanley Lewis took over operations at the sprawling Ffos-y-fran opencast coal mine from the previous operator, Miller Argent. The company became ‘Merthyr (South Wales)…

Cross-party support at Senedd drop-in session to act on coal legacy

On July 1st, 2025, CAN organised drop-in session at the Senedd, spotlighting the urgent need for action on Wales’ coal legacy issues. The event saw strong cross-party engagement, with Members of the Senedd (MSs)…

Countering fake news in the Senedd

We’re actively setting the record straight when fake news about coal is spread through public figures, social media, or the press. The rise of populist politics and politicians tend to drive statements that are don’t entirely match the evidence, but may win them some votes…

360 exploration of Ffos-y-fran opencast coal mine

Explore the landscape via the images below, drag around the viewpoints and go full-screen for the immersive experience. This is what the 58,000 residents of Merthyr Tydfil face every day…and with a new plan by mining company, Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd, to evade its responsibility to restore…

Tip closest to residents to remain untouched

This information seeks to clarify which tips are included in ERI Ltd’s proposal to mine and then flatten certain coal tips in Caerphilly. The tips selected appear to be on the basis of which would be most profitable to mine of the ‘waste coal’ they contain…

The Bill that risks reigniting coal mining in Wales

The Welsh Government’s Deputy First Minister, in his response to the CCEIC’s Stage 1 Report, admits the “Bill does not prevent the extraction or burning of coal” but adds “I cannot envisage a scenario in which the extraction and burning of coal will arise as a result of the Bill”…

CONNECT WITH US

Share now:

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x