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Urgent action must be taken over the contaminated quarry Ty Llwyd quarry in Ynysddu, Conservative Senedd Member Natasha Asghar has demanded.

Following reports of a “toxic smell” and brown, foamy liquid coming from the council-owned quarry, samples of leachate were analysed in a Greenpeace laboratory.

Tests of the samples found a number of toxic and industrial chemicals including a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). PCBs are a group of man-made chemicals widely used in the manufacture of electronics.

It is thought PCBs were dumped at the quarry by chemical firm Monsanto from its Newport factory decades ago.

The issue has recently featured on BBC’s Countryfile.

Around 50 residents attended public meeting in Ynysddu on May 31, organised by independent councillor Jan Jones and Janine Reed.

Ms Asghar, who is currently running to become Mayor of London, attended the meeting and has called on the Welsh Government to bring the issue to an end.

She said: “Residents in Ynysddu have been left in limbo and living in fear for far too long and we need to see action taken immediately to end this worrying issue once and for all.

“Instead of constantly passing the buck and hiding behind investigations, Caerphilly Council, the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales must do right by the community.

“I have raised the issue of Ty Llwyd Quarry in the Welsh Parliament in the past and will continue to campaign for the Welsh Government to act because this site needs to be made safe.”

Ms Asghar, who praised the work of councillors Jones and Reed, continued: “The key to ending this is by designating the area as contaminated land, and that’s exactly what I will be pushing for.

Cllr Reed said: “There is a strong sense of disappointment, frustration, worry and anger in the community over this toxic quarry – and that strength of feeling was abundantly clear by looking at the number of people who attended this week’s public meeting.

“To many people in Ynysddu, it feels like we are being ignored and those who could take action to help us are simply turning their backs on us.”

Cllr Jones said people in Ynysddu are “on edge” over the matter and continued: “We simply do not know what damage these leaking chemicals are having on our health and the local ecosystem.

“Despite the obstacles being thrown in our way by those higher up the ladder and constantly being passed from pillar to post, this is just the beginning of our campaign for action.”

Last month, councillors Jones and Reed put forward a notice of motion calling for a Welsh Government investigation into pollution concerns at the quarry.

The motion was backed by councillors, including council leader Sean Morgan, Councillor Sean Morgan, who said it could result in “additional support and funding being made available to help us and other local authorities deal with the legacy of our industrial past”.

An investigation is currently being undertaken by the council and Natural Resources Wales, but it could be more than a year until it’s concluded.