Illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent will be cleared up using taxpayer money, Andy Burnham has announced, as the prime minister promises a new drive to tackle toxic waste.
Ministers have identified dumps in Bradford, Runnymede and the Isle of Sheppey, which collectively contain about 22,000 tonnes of illegal waste, to be cleared in the next phase of the government’s national clear-up effort.
Meanwhile, fines will be raised for rogue dumpers, and AI-powered drones will be used to detect illegal activity while it happens, as the government looks to prioritise prevention alongside clean-up efforts.
Burnham said in a statement: “These toxic dumps have blighted communities for too long. I said we would clean them up – and that’s exactly what we’re announcing today.”
He added: “These mountains of rubbish have been a clear sign to communities that politics hasn’t been working for them or their area. This government is going to tackle the issues that have been ignored by Westminster for too long and bring back hope.”
Hundreds of illegal waste sites have been reported across England, with a BBC investigation recently uncovering 11 “supersites” that contain more than 20,000 tonnes of rubbish.
One of the country’s most notorious sites is in Burnham’s own constituency of Makerfield, where a rotting, rat-infested mountain of waste has remained for more than 20 months. The site was identified for clean-up in March alongside two others, but locals say they have seen little improvement in the site since then.
During the byelection campaign, which Burnham won earlier this year, voters in the area told the Guardian they would vote for him specifically to get rid of that one site.
The Environment Agency says it has made 42 site visits, suspended or revoked 17 permits and launched more than 30 criminal investigations as part of its initial crackdown.
In February, Varun Datta, the ringleader of a waste crime gang, was ordered to pay £1.4m after being convicted for the organised illegal dumping of mostly municipal waste at a network of 16 sites across the country, including at a historic manor house and a nature reserve in Lancashire.
Downing Street said the three new sites identified on Wednesday had been chosen because of their scale, the risk to nearby communities, their environmental damage, and links to organised crime.
Officials said the new push to prevent illegal dumping would work better than previous approaches, in part because of new AI-powered drones which are designed to detect dumping while it happens.
The 33 drones will be fitted with light detection and ranging technology, which can create highly detailed maps of illegal waste sites.
Burnham also said he wanted police and the National Crime Agency to be given a bigger role, as he announced fines for people who dump waste illegally or fail to treat it correctly would rise from £300 to £5,000.
Tougher sanctions, including imprisonment, are already available for more serious offences.
Meanwhile, in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester mayors and council leaders will be asked to coordinate councils, police, regulators and other enforcement agencies to ramp up crime prevention efforts.
