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.
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.
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.
The family’s wider policy campaign subsequently developed into Zane’s Law, which seeks legislative reform of contaminated land regulation throughout the United Kingdom.
Kye Gbangbola is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building and has also been raising this campaign as a chartered professional.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Metro mayors
In October 2025 Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram publicly endorsed Zane’s Law.
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.
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 LawLocal AuthoritySupport DateLewes District CouncilFebruary 2024Adur District CouncilMarch 2024Brighton and Hove City CouncilMarch 2024Stroud District CouncilApril 2024Rother District CouncilMay 2024Runnymede Borough CouncilJuly 2025Cheshire West and Chester CouncilDecember 2025Newham London Borough CouncilJuly 2025Havering London Borough CouncilNovember 2025Bolton CouncilNovember 2025London Borough of Barking and DagenhamNovember 2025London Borough of HackneyMarch 2026 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. 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 and Wellingborough Town Councilsubsequently also adopted a motion supporting the campaign.
Trade unions
The campaign has received support from the Trades Union Congress and the Fire Brigades Union. UNISON has also been following this campaign.
See also Contaminated land Environmental Protection Act 1990 Environment Agency Landfill Environmental justice Corby toxic waste case Ella's law
References
External links