Government to Fund Cleanup of Major Illegal Waste Dumps
Three of the largest illegal rubbish dumps in England are scheduled to be cleared at the taxpayers' expense under a national waste crime action plan recently launched by the government.
These substantial waste sites, located in Wigan, Sheffield, and Lancashire, collectively contain approximately 48,000 tonnes of waste and have been designated for clearance by the Environment Agency. Additionally, a 20,000-tonne illegal dump in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, is currently undergoing clearance at a cost exceeding £9 million.
Typically, the financial responsibility for clearing illegal waste sites on private land falls on the landowners themselves.
The announcement has been positively received by residents near the designated sites, although some villagers near other large illegal dumps identified in a recent BBC investigation have expressed frustration that their sites are not included in the cleanup plan.
'Forgotten about' Residents Near Bickershaw Dump
Among the three sites selected for clearance is a notorious illegal dump in Bickershaw, near Wigan, which experienced a significant fire last summer, resulting in the temporary closure of nearby schools.
Local residents have previously conveyed to the BBC feelings of neglect, citing issues such as infestations of rats and flies and an "unbearable smell" permeating the area.
Nicha Rowson, a beautician who relocated her studio from her home due to the persistent stench, described the government's decision to clear the site as "amazing news."
"I'm sure the community that I've been campaigning for is just as happy as I am with the news," she said.
However, Rowson criticized the delay in decision-making, stating,
"Money's been put before residents' physical and mental health."
She further expressed dissatisfaction that the responsible party has not yet faced prosecution and that taxpayers are now bearing the cost of the cleanup.
Additional Sites and Government Assessments
The other two sites slated for clearance include a 20,000-tonne illegal dump on an industrial site in Sheffield and a 10,000-tonne tip located in Hyndburn, Lancashire.
The government has not disclosed the total expected cost of these clearances. Site-specific assessments are still required to evaluate the feasibility and logistics of the cleanup operations before they can commence.
Supersites and Ongoing Illegal Dumping
Earlier this year, the BBC reported that among the hundreds of illegal dumps across England, at least 11 qualify as "supersites," each containing more than 20,000 tonnes of waste.
One such site is in Over, near Gloucester, where tens of thousands of tonnes of waste have been dumped. Witnesses informed the BBC that at the peak of illegal activity, 30 to 50 vehicles were entering the site daily to deposit rubbish.
A fire in June 2025 prompted a response from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, which largely halted operations at the site, though it has not been officially closed.
Charlie Coats, chairman of Highnam Parish Council, expressed his frustration with the Environment Agency's perceived inaction and noted that Over was not included in the government's new waste crime action plan announced on Thursday.
"It doesn't surprise me because we had a meeting with the Agency and there was no mention about it," he told .
"In fact, they were singularly unhelpful and not particularly forthcoming or productive or positive in what they were saying.
"They have no sense of any degree of urgency about it at all."
Government Response and Enforcement Measures
A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stated that the sites chosen for cleanup "represent the most egregious cases."
She added,
"We, of course, continue to tackle all sites through enforcement, restriction notices, permit action and disruption – all of which are being bolstered through the new action plan."
The government's action plan also includes providing local authorities with a rebate on landfill tax if they undertake cleanup of illegal dumps within their jurisdictions.
Furthermore, the Environment Agency will receive an additional £45 million over the next three years to enhance enforcement activities.
The plan outlines that officers will intervene promptly when large illegal waste sites are identified, employing powers to immediately shut down such operations without prior warning.
Operators who disregard these shutdown orders could face imprisonment for up to 51 weeks.
Philip Duffy, chief executive of the Environment Agency, emphasized the evolving nature of waste crime and the need for a more robust response, stating,
"These measures will ensure we stay one step ahead of waste criminals and protect the communities, businesses and environment that they blight."
Additional Proposals in the Waste Crime Action Plan
Earlier in the week, the government unveiled further proposals within the action plan, including measures to require fly-tippers to perform up to 20 hours of unpaid work clearing their own illegal dumps.
Drivers caught fly-tipping may also receive penalty points on their driving licenses, and illegal waste operators will be publicly named and shamed by the Environment Agency.
The plan also details Defra's intention to collaborate with the insurance industry to develop more comprehensive policies that provide better coverage for farmers, businesses, and landowners facing costs related to clearing illegally dumped waste from their properties.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds remarked that the action plan sends a clear message that waste criminals will "face the full consequence" of their illegal activities.
"Waste criminals have been damaging our communities, countryside, environment and economy for too long," she said.
