There's a Man-Made ‘Volcano’ That Erupts Each Summer, Choking Residents With Deadly Smoke

When a volcanic eruption takes place, it spews boiling lava, ash, and gases from deep within the Earth. These eruptions can reshape the area around, destroy infrastructure, and disrupt communities, but they also enrich the soil with minerals. However, there is one human-made volcano, located in Rainham, East London, which is a major cause of pollution in the nearby neighborhoods. Every summer, residents staying near the bizarre volcano have to deal with the thick, noxious-smelling smoke that affects their well-being and daily life.

At Arnolds Field landfill, unlike any other natural volcano, a buried layer of illegally dumped waste has been burning for decades. However, in recent years, the problem has grown unbearable, as reported by the BBC. As soon as summer arrives, fires break out throughout the area, and the people are forced to stay indoors to escape the choking air. Locals now refer to this long-running environmental disaster as the 'Rainham Volcano.' Pauline Claridge, who stays nearby, spoke about the smell and said, "It's an absolutely rancid, horrible smell, and it just burns your throat."

Claridge lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While the condition wasn’t caused by the smoke of the human-made volcano, she feels it does make her symptoms worse. As reported by CNN, she said, "[The landfill is] a volcano, and you’re just waiting (thinking) when’s it going to go? It’s an unbearable way to live.” She added, "Some days I can't even sit out in the garden. I close the windows. It's gone on too long and feels like we're not being listened to. Everyone seems to be making excuses, and no one has even said sorry." Another resident, Donna Clark, made a similar statement, saying, "No one seems to want to take responsibility for it or deal with the problem."

Firefighters have also revealed that they’re dispatched to the landfill nearly every day during the summer to tackle the recurring blazes. To many in the area, these firefighters are the real heroes. A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said, “The fires are distressing for the local community and are putting firefighters at unnecessary risk." However, firefighters are now asked not to enter the Arnolds Field after a near-tragedy took place a few years ago. An overheated canister exploded and almost killed one of them.

Meanwhile, in the late 1990s, Havering Council allowed the area to be used as a landfill, with plans to later cover it with soil and grass. Instead, it now stands as uneven mounds beside a children’s park. The site was once owned by John Reilly, who was arrested in 2011 after police found drugs and weapons hidden underground. Later on, in 2017, local businessman Jerry O’Donovan bought it to use it as a depot for his machinery, but his plans failed. At present, the landfill is reportedly sealed with heavy concrete barriers and huge locked gates, cutting off all public access.