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RNAD Trecwn could be ‘ticking time bomb’ says Greenpeace

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BUILT just before World War II RNAD Trecwn, during its working life, was used to store and distribute various munitions until 1992, when the MoD placed it on care and maintenance which effectively closed the site.

The entire site was sold to Omega Pacific in 1998 for £329,000, with the stated intention of using the surface buildings for aircraft engine maintenance, while the caverns would be used for the storage of nuclear waste.

A lack of planning consent and fierce local opposition resulted in the site being sold to The Manhattan Loft Corporation in 2002 who planned to turn the site into an industrial estate.

Plans submitted by The Valley (Pembrokeshire) Ltd to build a 25-megawatt biomass energy plant on the site were conditionally approved in 2015, but little, if any, work has taken place.

The most notable thing to happen concerning RNAD Trecwn since then is its inclusion on an NRW list of 1500 sites that contain hazardous waste.

Reacting to the news, Greenpeace branded all 1,572 locations as “ticking time bombs”.

RNAD Trecwn contains a “munitions destruction and phosphorous burning area” from a time before landfill sites were properly lined and contamination from those activities could have affected the environment around the former armament depot.

Gareth Lewis, NRW’s lead waste policy specialist said the agency had “details on the type and quantity of waste deposited”.

“Older permitted sites like these are reviewed consistently by ourselves and local councils to ensure we minimise the risk to people, animals and the environment.”

A spokesman for The Welsh Local Government Association said: “There are responsibilities for managing sites whilst operational and then for dealing with maintenance of closed sites,”.

Gareth Lewis went on to say that “most” landfills were now in private ownership and charged for the dumping of rubbish.

“Natural Resources Wales is responsible for licensing the sites and overseeing compliance with environmental legislation,”.

The nearby village of Trecwn was forced to live off of bottled water in 2019 because tap water was coming out ‘looking like a cup of tea’ and smelling strongly of Chlorine.

Water tests carried out at the time in properties on Barham Road showed iron levels of around 1800 micrograms per litre – nine times the legal limit, those properties get their water from a network of pipes that come from RNAD Trecwn and were built when the armament depot was originally constructed.

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Major traffic jams following accident on M4 near Swansea

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A ROAD traffic accident has closed the M4 in both directions as of Tuesday morning (Mar 19).

Police, paramedics and the fire service were called to the scene of the crash on the eastbound carriageway between Pont Abraham and Hendy at 23:20 GMT on Monday.

A fire which had broken out was extinguished before they arrived.

The motorway remains closed in both directions between J48 and J49.

The affected section is between junction 49 Pont Abraham and junction 48 Hendy, Llanelli, in Carmarthenshire.

As of 8.30am there were 45-minute delays with Traffic Wales saying: “Road continues to remain closed.

https://x.com/DyfedPowys/status/1769963608048378117

“Busy in the area delays showing as approximately 45 minutes in the surrounding areas. Please allow additional time for travel and thank you for your patience.”

Traffic monitors are showing there is already slow traffic in the area and congestion.

There are delays on surrounding routes in the area and on the A48.

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Dredging work set for Tenby Harbour

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TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery from Tuesday March 26 th to Friday 29 th as dredging work is carried out.

Sand will removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.

Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging had been issued after several months of application work.

“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for securing the licence for this work to go ahead. This dredging is essential
for the operation of Tenby Harbour.

“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the
water.”

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Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash

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THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.

Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.

The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.

Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”

The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.

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