Yorkshire’s hidden toxic legacy of historical metal mining: lead, floods and health

Mark G. Macklin, Professor Emeritus of River Systems and Global Change, University of Lincoln

Yorkshire’s historical lead mines have left a legacy that extends far beyond the abandoned mine sites themselves. Lead-contaminated sediments have been carried downstream and stored in river channels and floodplains, where they can persist for centuries. When floods occur, these sediments can be remobilised and redistributed across farmland, gardens and other areas where people live and work, creating risks to human, animal and ecosystem health.

Drawing on new research mapping the legacy of lead mining across Great Britain, this lecture explores the scale and distribution of this largely hidden environmental hazard, with a particular focus on Yorkshire. It will examine how toxic, lead-contaminated sediments move through river systems, how flooding can increase exposure, and how contamination can enter ecosystems and food chains. It will also consider why current approaches that focus mainly on water quality and individual mine sites may underestimate the true extent of the problem, and how climate change and increasing flood risk could make this historical legacy an emerging challenge for human, animal and ecosystem health. Finally, the lecture will explore what can be done to reduce exposure and manage this persistent environmental hazard.

Joint Lecture with “PLACE” and  Royal Geographical Society, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Committee