North West illegal waste sites targeted

An illegal waste site, tyres dumped in Greater Manchester

Illegal waste sites that blight communities and threaten genuine businesses were targeted in a day of action by The Environment Agency yesterday (Wednesday 27 March).

Operation Cyclone is a nationwide push aimed at gathering intelligence that will help to cut the active illegal waste sites operating in England and Wales.

Illegal waste sites charge businesses to deposit waste, such as household or commercial waste, at a cost that is much cheaper than a regulated site.

The operators of these illegal waste sites profit from their operations and in doing so put legitimate waste sites out of business.

Waste sites require environmental permits to ensure they are operating safely.

Operation Cyclone aims to gather data and information on illegal sites and those that use these facilities, to enable the EA to create an intelligence picture of the criminal activity and identify what sites or individuals are posing the biggest risk to the environment.

In Greater Manchester officers will be spraying invisible Smart Water onto tyres being stored illegally to try and prevent them being illegally exported or deposited elsewhere in the region.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Manager, Environment Agency said: “Waste crime undermines legitimate business and the investment and economic growth that go with it. 

“Illegal operators don’t care where they operate and waste could be metres from your house or child’s playground.”

“We are appealing to communities to contact us if they suspect a site near to them is operating illegally.

“If you have information about an illegal waste site – report it to the Environment Agency 0800 80 70 60 or to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.”