The government has initiated a national waste crime action plan to clean up three significant illegal rubbish dumps in England, located in Wigan, Sheffield, and Lancashire. These sites contain a total of 48,000 tonnes of waste. A separate site in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, is already undergoing clearance at a cost exceeding £9 million. Normally, landowners bear the cost of clearing illegal dumps, but taxpayers will fund these clean-ups. Community members express relief but criticize the delay and lack of prosecution for the offenders responsible for the dumps.
"A notorious dump in Bickershaw, near Wigan, caught fire last summer, forcing nearby schools to close. Nicha Rowson, a beautician, expressed that the decision to clear the site was 'amazing news' and that the community she campaigned for is just as happy."
"Rowson criticized the delay in decision-making, stating, 'Money's been put before residents' physical and mental health.' She emphasized that it was 'not good enough' that the culprit had not yet been prosecuted, leaving taxpayers to cover the clean-up costs."
"The government has not disclosed the total cost of the clean-ups, and site-specific assessments are still required to ensure the logistics of the clearance operations are feasible before they can commence."
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