Environment Agency to Clear Large Illegal Waste Dump Near Kidlington Amid Fire Risks
The Environment Agency (EA) has announced plans to spend several millions of pounds clearing a significant illegal waste dump near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, close to the River Cherwell. This decision is exceptional, as the EA usually refuses to clear illegal dumps, preferring instead to pursue perpetrators and landowners. The clearance is driven by concerns over fire risks posed by the dumped waste.
The cost of the clearing operation will be funded through efficiencies in the EA's operations, with landfill tax on the waste also to be paid to the Treasury. This move has drawn criticism from Labour MP Josh Simons, who represents Makerfield in northern England. Simons argued that the decision to clear the Oxfordshire dump is unfair to northern communities, referencing a separate case in Bickershaw, Wigan, where 25,000 tonnes of toxic rubbish were dumped near a primary school. That site experienced a nine-day fire during a heatwave, resulting in the closure of the primary school and residents having to remain indoors.
Simons pledged to advocate for the clearing of the Bickershaw site to ensure equal treatment for communities outside Oxfordshire. Both the Kidlington and Wigan illegal dumps have been monitored by the Environment Agency. In the case of Wigan, MP Simons alerted the EA in January about dumping on Bolton House Road. The EA maintains it remains focused on identifying and bringing offenders to justice.
A recent House of Lords waste-crime inquiry estimated that roughly 38 million tonnes of waste are dumped illegally each year. The inquiry called for a comprehensive review of waste crime policies. However, the government rejected these recommendations but is expected to introduce a New Year policy announcement aimed at addressing waste crime issues.
