A bill to tackle safety issues from Wales’ coal tips has been introduced.
The Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill, presented by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, aims to establish a Disused Tips Authority for Wales.
This authority would be responsible for managing the country’s disused coal and non-coal tips.
The bill is the first of its kind in the UK and seeks to create a robust system for the safety of disused tips.
The proposed authority would be a Welsh Government-sponsored body, tasked with ensuring that disused tips do not pose a threat to human welfare due to instability.
It would also be responsible for the assessment, registration, monitoring, and management of these tips.
The introduction of the bill follows the major landslide of a disused tip in Tylorstown, which caused more than 60,000 tonnes of debris to fall into the Rhondda Fach River.
This incident led to the establishment of the Coal Tip Safety Task Force.
The Law Commission was also asked to evaluate current legislation relating to disused coal tips, and its report concluded that the current law no longer provides an effective management framework for disused coal tips, recommending reform.
Mr Irranca-Davies said: “Wales has a proud mining heritage, and it is imperative that we have a structured approach to managing disused coal and non-coal tips to ensure they are safe and not a threat to our communities.
“This bill is about keeping communities safe and is part of a wider programme of work to improve the safety of disused coal tips.”
There are 2,573 disused coal tips in Wales, and it is estimated there are more than 20,000 other disused tips across the country.
The bill’s proposals will be discussed with Members of the Senedd (MSs) and stakeholders in the coming months.