London mayor to lobby ministers over persistent fires at toxic Rainham landfill

Since 2018 the Rainham volcano site in east London has flared up more than 160 times, releasing smoke that has caused respiratory irritation for nearby households. Havering Town Hall, now run by a Reform-majority council, has pledged to extinguish the fires and asked mayor Sadiq Khan to advocate with central government. After a recent Defra meeting, council leader Keith Prince asked Khan to draft a letter backing the council’s argument that Launders Lane should be cleared, and Khan said he would write to the department.

The council also intends to seek a judicial review over the government's decision not to fund the cleanup, while landowner Jerry O'Donovan’s representatives claim planning permission and environmental assessments are still required. Campaigners from Clean the Air in Havering warn the fires could persist for up to three more years without swift action.