Michael Sheen's 'constructive' meeting with first minister over toxic dumping claims

Hollywood actor Michael Sheen said he had a "constructive" meeting with First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth over toxic dumping claims raised in his BBC documentary.

Buried with Michael Sheen explores toxic chemical dumping in 14 sites in Wales and England.

Sheen initially said an offer to meet the first minister "was not taken up" before the documentary was broadcast in August.

On Thursday, the Welsh actor said he met the first minister, speaking about how they could move forward adding it was "early days but that's really encouraging".

Speaking on Instagram, he said "I've just come from a meeting with the first minister.

"Talking about how we can move forward and address all the issues that Buried [the documentary] raised around the toxic dumping, and that was really constructive.

"So early days but that's really encouraging."

In the UK Parliament last week, Sheen urged MPs to back a national testing programme for historic toxic dumps to make sure sites were safe, after high levels of cancer-causing chemicals - known as PCBs - were found in soil samples and in the blood of people living near sites linked to chemical giant Monsanto.

Sheen interviewed farming consultant turned campaigner Douglas Gowan shortly before his death, who had spent decades warning that communities were at risk of toxic chemicals.

The actor later teamed up with investigative journalists Lucy Taylor and Dan Ashby who had inherited all of the campaigner's documents and research.

They set about testing 14 sites in Wales and north west England where it was thought Monsanto had been dumping PCBs, and found elevated levels at all but one.

Susan Smith, who worked at Monsanto in Wrexham, said her happy memories of working there have been replaced with fears following the documentary.

Susan and her husband Geraint's home, which they have lived in for 53 years, is separated from the decommissioned Ruabon chemical works by a thin tree line.

Geraint was diagnosed with prostate cancer 13 years ago before more recently developing skin cancer, while Susan developed breast cancer when she was 38.

While they admit they are not certain that Monsanto was responsible, the documentary has made them question the possible impact of the factory on their family's health.

Susan worked as a secretary for four years when she was 19, then returned once for temporary cover and another time to overhaul a failing system.

"Most of my time was spent in the telex office next to the warehouse. We used to send delivery notes, instructions, requests on little pieces of ticker tape through a machine to other Monsanto offices," she said.

"We had a small glass hatch that the instructions would be passed through and it was never closed because people were passing things through so often. As a result dust and powders and all sorts would blow through and coat the desks, the paper, even our sandwiches."

Susan said she wasn't given a "safety briefing, protective clothing or anything" and office staff never knew they were at risk.

Susan had her blood tested by the documentary team and while the PCB levels in her blood were not deemed high, the fact there is no safe level of PCB and the lack of accountability from Eastman – the US company which now owns what was once Monsanto – has left her with unanswered questions.

The couple have joined the Monsanto Contamination Action Group – which was set up for people in Wrexham who live in communities affected by historic industrial waste dumping.

Eastman was approached for comment.

Additional reporting Alec Doyle, LDRS reporter