Zane's Law

Zane’s Law
Formation2021
FoundersKye Gbangbola, Nicole Lawler
TypeEnvironmental campaign
PurposeReform of contaminated land legislation in the United Kingdom
Region served
United Kingdom
Key people
Kye Gbangbola, Nicole Lawler
Websitezaneslaw.co.uk

Zane’s Law is a British environmental campaign seeking reform of contaminated land legislation in the United Kingdom. The campaign advocates the introduction of the proposed Clean Land (Human Rights) Bill, which aims to strengthen the identification, inspection, public registration and remediation of contaminated land and historic landfill sites.[1]

The campaign is named after Zane Gbangbola, who died during flooding at his family home in Chertsey, Surrey, in February 2014. It is led by his parents, Kye Gbangbola and Nicole Lawler, who dispute the findings of the 2016 inquest into Zane’s death and have campaigned for changes to contaminated land regulation. The same night that Zane died, his father, Kye, also was paralysed from the waist down.[2][3]

Background

Following the death of Zane Gbangbola in 2014, his family established the "Truth About Zane" campaign, arguing that hydrogen cyanide released from a nearby historic landfill site was responsible for his death. The official inquest concluded that he died from carbon monoxide poisoning generated by a petrol-powered water pump operating within the property.[4]

The family’s wider policy campaign subsequently developed into Zane’s Law, which seeks legislative reform of contaminated land regulation throughout the United Kingdom.[5]

Kye Gbangbola is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building and has also been raising this campaign as a chartered professional.[6]

History

The campaign was publicly launched during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). It calls for greater transparency, mandatory inspection of potentially contaminated land, improved public registers and stronger statutory duties to investigate and remediate contaminated sites.

In July 2026 the UK Government announced a non-statutory inquiry into the death of Zane Gbangbola, chaired by Dr Sandie Okoro OBE.[7][8]

Proposed legislation

Campaigners describe the proposed legislation as the Clean Land (Human Right) Bill. Among its principal proposals are that the proposed legislation would require publicly accessible registers of contaminated land, create a national register maintained by the Environment Agency, strengthen duties to inspect and remediate contaminated sites and historic landfill sites, and provide funding for local authorities under the "polluter pays" principle.[9]

Political and institutional support

Parliament

The campaign has been raised in both Houses of Parliament. Baroness Natalie Bennett has promoted contaminated-land reforms associated with Zane’s Law in the House of Lords and chaired the Zane’s Law parliamentary summit in 2025.[10][11]

London

On 6 November 2024 the London Assembly unanimously approved a motion supporting Zane’s Law, proposed by Zack Polanski and Zoë Garbett. Following the motion, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan publicly confirmed his support for the campaign in July 2025.[9][12]

Metro mayors

In October 2025 Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram publicly endorsed Zane’s Law.[13]

Wales

In May 2025 a motion reflecting the principles of Zane’s Law was tabled in the Senedd by Delyth Jewell, Jane Dodds and Peredur Owen Griffiths, with support from Rhys ab Owen.[14]

Local authorities

Support for Zane’s Law has expanded through a series of motions adopted by local authorities across England.

List of Councils in Support of Zane's Law
Local Authority Support Date
Lewes District Council February 2024[15]
Adur District Council March 2024[16]
Brighton and Hove City Council March 2024[17][18]
Stroud District Council April 2024[19]
Rother District Council May 2024
Runnymede Borough Council July 2025
Cheshire West and Chester Council December 2025
Newham London Borough Council July 2025[20]
Havering London Borough Council November 2025
Bolton Council November 2025
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham November 2025
London Borough of Hackney March 2026[21]

In March 2026 North Northamptonshire Council, which was controlled by Reform UK at the time, rejected a motion supporting Zane’s Law by 29 votes to 24, with four abstentions.[22][23][24] Following the decision, Kettering Town Council adopted a motion supporting the principles of Zane’s Law and invited town and parish councils across North Northamptonshire to consider similar motions. Corby Town Council subsequently also adopted a motion supporting the campaign.[25][26]

Trade unions

The campaign has received support from the Trades Union Congress and the Fire Brigades Union.[27] UNISON has also been following this campaign.[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Zane's Law is vital to fixing our broken contaminated land and waste system". Inside Housing. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  2. ↑ Davies, Caroline (20 June 2016). "Zane Gbangbola's father tells inquest how toxic fumes left him paralysed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Ritchie, Candice (20 June 2016). "Zane's father lost use of his legs after 24 hours, inquest hears". Surrey Live. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "Zane Gbangbola: Concern over experiments near home of boy who died". BBC News. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  5. ↑ Davies, Caroline (16 May 2016). "Parents' fight for justice after seven-year-old son dies in winter floods". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Mann, Will (16 July 2026). "CIOB fellow welcomes government inquiry into son's death". Construction Management. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Non-Statutory Inquiry into death of Zane Gbangbola to be established". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Death of Zane Gbangbola in Chertsey floods to be subject of inquiry". BBC News. 13 July 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Zane's Law | London City Hall". www.london.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Zane's Law Summit at Westminster: "Make toxic landfills safe!" | Fire Brigades Union". www.fbu.org.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Zane Gbangbola: Proposed landfill law becomes Green Party policy". BBC News. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "London mayor backs Zane's Law for contaminated land". BBC News. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Torre, Berny. "Liverpool and Greater Manchester mayors back Zane's Law on boy's 19th birthday". Morning Star. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Motion - NNDM8894". Welsh Parliament. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Zane Gbangbola: Lewes council first to support new landfill law". BBC News. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "'Zane's Law is an issue above party politics'". The Argus. 30 March 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "Zane Gbangbola: Two Sussex councils back contaminated land law". BBC News. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Councils vote to support campaign for greater transparency over contaminated land and waters following death of child". localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Stroud District Council Public Document Pack 25 April 2024" (PDF). Stroud District Council. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Hackney backs calls for action on contaminated land". Hackney Council News. 24 March 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Hackney Backs Zane's Law on Contaminated Land 2026". 24 March 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Agenda for Council on Thursday 5th March, 2026, 6.00 pm". www.northnorthants.gov.uk. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Unitary refuses to support Zane's Law". Local Government Chronicle. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "North Northants Council refuses to back calls for Zane's Law". Northamptonshire Telegraph. 6 March 2026. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "Kettering Town Council backs Zane's Law after North Northamptonshire Council rejection". Northamptonshire Telegraph. 30 March 2026. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Corby Town Council backs law to give greater transparency over contaminated land". Northamptonshire Telegraph. 16 July 2026. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  27. ↑ "Fighting for workers | Firefighter Magazine". www.fbu.org.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  28. ↑ "The Truth About Zane Campaign: Update | UNISON - the public service union". unison.org.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
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