Zane's Law: Green Party Advocates for Transparency on Contaminated Land in Memory of Seven-Year-Old Victim
Key Ideas
- The Green Party adopts Zane's Law to increase transparency on contaminated land in memory of Zane Gbangbola.
- Zane's parents advocate for public registers of contaminated sites after their son's tragic death linked to a former landfill.
- Baroness Natalie Bennett's motion for greater transparency on contaminated land is backed by the Green Party conference.
- Several councils, including Lewes District Council and Brighton & Hove City Council, have supported Zane's Law for increased transparency.
The Green Party has made a significant move by adopting Zane's Law, an initiative aimed at ensuring transparency over contaminated land. The law, inspired by the tragic death of seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola in Surrey in 2014, advocates for measures such as the maintenance of public registers of contaminated sites. Zane's parents, Kye Gbangbola and Nicole Lawler, believe their son died from toxic hydrogen cyanide gas originating from a former waste dump. The family's campaign for legislation to enhance transparency on contaminated land gained momentum after they discovered that environmental searches did not highlight the land's history as a landfill. The Green Party's Baroness Natalie Bennett spearheaded the motion for Zane's Law, emphasizing the current threat that contaminated land regulations pose to human life and welfare. Despite an initial inquest attributing Zane's death to carbon monoxide from a petrol pump during flooding, the family contests this finding, citing evidence of hydrogen cyanide in their home. This discrepancy underscores the need for improved transparency and awareness regarding contaminated land. In a show of support, various councils have already backed Zane's Law, recognizing the importance of public registers and accountability in preventing similar tragedies.