The Environment Agency has been leading a criminal investigation into the illegal dump near residential homes in Wigan
The Environment Agency has been leading a criminal investigation into the illegal dump near residential homes in Wigan (Image: Copyright Unknown)
A man has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal dumping of waste, including at the notorious toxic site on Bolton House Road where an estimated 25,000 tonnes of material has been discarded.
The ‘ocean of rubbish’ first emerged last summer in Bickershaw when a week-long fire saw some of the waste burn, forcing nearby schools to close. A criminal investigation is underway to find out who was responsible for dumping the rubbish at the former scrapyard.
And earlier this year, a closure order banning access to the illegal waste site was granted. This was put in place to prevent access for any unauthorised individuals.
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Officers from West Midlands Police, working in support of the Environment Agency, secured the arrest of the suspect. A 58-year-old male from the Birmingham area was arrested for environmental, fraud and money laundering offences.
The suspect has now been released on conditional bail pending further investigation. No further details were released by the Environment Agency, who are leading the criminal probe into the towering dump near homes.
The investigation is being led by the EA’s National Environmental Crime Unit, which is seeking to find those responsible for the offending. Angry locals said multiple lorries carrying rubbish to the site piled waste up to 20 metres high over several months beginning in January 2025.
Shocking images show thousands of black bin bags full of household rubbish like nappies as well as harmful chemicals and plastics littering the area.
It’s thought a clean-up could cost £4.5m. The Government said in March they would directly fund the operation to clear the site.
Last year, after a major blaze at the site, former Makerfield MP Josh Simons said he had ‘been pushing the Environment Agency every time [he] meets with them to move further and faster’.
Ian Crewe, Area Director for Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire at the Environment Agency, said: “The illegal dumping at sites across England are an attack on our communities, and the Environment Agency shares their disgust at these horrendous crimes.
“Our teams have been working relentlessly on this investigation, and yesterday’s arrest are a vital step in collecting new evidence and progressing it further.”
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “We are cracking down on waste criminals – putting an end to the damage they cause, by boosting funds to tackle waste crime, putting more boots on the ground and and giving stronger powers to our enforcement teams. If you dump waste illegally, we will come after you.”
