The reclassified Cwmbach coal tip above is slowly slipping into the adjoining watercourse.
Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £118m in her spending review to “keep coal tips safe in Wales” a sum that many have described as inadequate.
Rhondda Cynon Taf has the highest number of the most hazardous coal tips in Wales. These tips are categorised based on their risk to public safety, with Category D being the most dangerous, followed by Category C. The categorisation system is used across Wales to prioritise monitoring and remediation efforts.
Wales is home to around 2,573 disused coal tips. Of these, 360 are in the most serious categories (D and C). Wales has around 20,000 disused non-coal tips and approximately 1,300 abandoned metal mines, which are polluting over 700 km of rivers with harmful metals like cadmium, lead, zinc, and copper. Despite the scale of the problem, evidence to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee suggests the funding available to make these sites safe barely scratches the surface.
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Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and the Environment, Janet Finch-Saudners MS, said:
“While this Bill does provide a genuine opportunity for Wales to ensure tip safety, it is disappointing that the Labour Welsh Government has taken several years to introduce this legislation and even more concerning that the funding to deal with the issue is not nearly enough.
“We must also be realistic that making some sites safe may involve the removal of coal, and in those cases, owners should be allowed to offset costs by selling it to market, especially when the UK continues to import over 3 million tonnes of coal each year.
“The scale of the challenge goes far beyond the funding currently on the table, the Welsh Government has a responsibility to ensure these sites are made safe and our communities are protected.”
Number of Coal Tips by Category in Rhondda Cynon Taf
Category D Category C Category B Category A Category R Total 29 54 107 93 48 331 List of Dangerous Coal Tips
While the exact names and locations of individual dangerous coal tips in RCT are not routinely published for public safety and security reasons, it is confirmed that:
- RCT has 29 Category D (highest risk) and 54 Category C (high risk) coal tips.
- These tips are inspected at least once or twice a year, depending on their category.
- Notable incidents, such as the landslip at Tylorstown in 2020, have prompted increased monitoring and investment in tip safety.
Additional Information
- Total unsafe tips: Recent data (November 2023) reported 81 unsafe coal tips across Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cardiff combined.
- Public access to detailed lists: Some organizations and local campaigners have called for more transparency, but councils often restrict detailed location data to avoid public risk or trespass.
- Ongoing work: The Welsh Government, local authorities, and Natural Resources Wales are actively working on inspection, maintenance, and remediation of these tips.
Summary
- Rhondda Cynon Taf contains the highest number of high-risk (Category D) coal tips in Wales.
- Coal tips are categorized from D (most dangerous) to R (removed or very low risk).
- Exact locations and names of dangerous tips are not generally made public, but the council and government agencies maintain up-to-date registers and inspection schedules for safety management.
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