Sheen Investigates Monsanto PCB Cover-Up in Wales
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- Michael Sheen spent two days interviewing environmental campaigner Douglas Gowan before his death, creating a crucial record of PCB dumping in Wales that forms the backbone of the documentary.
- Monsanto produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at its Newport plant from the 1940s to the late 1970s, chemicals later found to be toxic and carcinogenic.
- Douglas Gowan alleged that PCB waste from the Newport plant was buried in south Wales landfills, where it could leach into soil and water, based on decades of investigation.
- The two Jans, Ynysddu councillors, relay villagers’ accounts of lorries depositing a jelly-like substance at a quarry at night—material children later played with on local roads.
- Donald Stewart, the attorney who secured a $300m settlement against Monsanto in Anniston, Alabama, shares internal company memos from 1949 showing Monsanto knew PCBs were dangerous.
- Rev Paul Cawthorne became involved after a parishioner’s deathbed confession about transporting barrels of toxic waste, continuing Gowan’s environmental advocacy in Wales.
Why it matters: Residents near the Welsh landfills face unexplained health and ecological issues, while evidence shows Monsanto knew of PCB dangers as early as 1949—meaning decades of harm may have been preventable. The $300m US settlement contrasts with the lack of accountability in Wales, where official dismissal and secrecy have blocked justice.
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