EA to spend millions clearing Oxfordshire illegal waste mountain in break with policy | Environment Agency

The Environment Agency will spend millions of pounds to clear an enormous illegal rubbish dump in Oxfordshire, citing the risk of fire. The decision has sparked criticism from a Labour MP whose constituents have been living near a separate, large-scale illegal waste site for nearly a year.

Oxfordshire Cleanup Draws Scrutiny

The Environment Agency announced Thursday it would clear thousands of tonnes of illegally dumped waste outside Kidlington. Officials stated the scale of the fire risk at the Oxfordshire site set it apart from other illegal dumps in England and presented an overriding public imperative.

Josh Simons, the MP for Makerfield, responded angrily to the announcement, highlighting the situation in Bickershaw, Wigan. His constituents have been living alongside 25,000 tonnes of toxic rubbish dumped in a residential street near a primary school for almost a year. The waste caught fire during a summer heatwave, burning for nine days and forcing the school to close and residents to stay indoors.

“This decision throws mud in the face of my working-class constituents in Bickershaw, Wigan, but also of people across the country suffering from toxic, illegal dumps that don’t have the privilege of living in middle class Oxfordshire,” Simons said. “My constituents will feel this is unfair, unjust, and once again like a public body is ignoring working-class communities in the north.”

Agency Policy and Funding

The Environment Agency’s standard policy is to pursue perpetrators and landowners rather than clearing illegal waste dumps. However, the agency said the Kidlington site’s proximity to the River Cherwell necessitated an exception. The cost of the cleanup, expected to run into several millions of pounds, will be covered by “making efficiencies in its operations.” The agency will also incur landfill tax costs payable to the Treasury.

Simons questioned the rationale, asking, “What is not ‘exceptional’ about a toxic waste dump on fire right next to a primary school and bunch of local businesses? Could it be because the kids and businesses are not in Oxfordshire?” He called for equal treatment and for the Environment Agency to clear the Bickershaw site.

Broader Waste Crime Issues

This week, ministers rejected all recommendations from a House of Lords environment and climate change committee inquiry into waste crime. The inquiry highlighted how organized criminals are profiting from illegal dumping, with an estimated 38 million tonnes of waste illegally dumped annually – enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times – often linked to other criminal activities like money laundering and modern slavery.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds rejected a call for a review, stating the government would announce new policies in the New Year informed by previous reviews and intelligence.

The dumping in Kidlington occurred while the Environment Agency was monitoring the site after receiving alerts about suspicious activity. Similarly, Simons alerted the agency in January to dumping on Bolton House Road in Wigan, and was told the site would be monitored. Over several months, waste was dumped in the residential street, including some in a field used by primary school children for sports.

The Environment Agency stated it is “laser-focused on finding the offenders and bringing them to justice” in both Kidlington and Wigan.