Michael Sheen investigates toxic chemical dumping in Wales

The new two-part documentary series, ‘Buried with Michael Sheen’, investigates the historical dumping of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in Welsh quarries. The investigation focuses on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are linked to cancer and are known for their environmental persistence.

The documentary is based on work by the late environmental campaigner and whistleblower Douglas Gowan. Gowan, who died in 2018, spent decades attempting to raise awareness about the contamination, alleging that the waste from a Monsanto plant in Newport was buried in landfills across South Wales, including Brofiscin Quarry, between 1965 and 1972.

Sheen, alongside investigative journalists, examines the potential leaching of these chemicals into the surrounding soil and water. The series features lab testing of samples and interviews with individuals who believe they have been affected by the contamination. Monsanto, the company central to the allegations, merged with the German firm Bayer in 2018.