Investigation after 100 tonnes of waste dumped

A criminal investigation is under way after Environment Agency (EA) officers found about 100 tonnes of household waste dumped at a former industrial site in Wingerworth.

The EA said officers made inquiries on 30 April following reports the previous day of suspicious activity at the derelict site in Derbyshire.

It said officers found household waste had been deposited or buried on the site.

The agency said it had worked with the landowner, who had installed a rock barrier to secure the site, and follow-up visits confirmed no further dumping had taken place.

Ben Hocking, EA area environment manager, said: "Our action at the site has disrupted further illegal waste activity.

"This situation really shines a light on the vital role the public plays in stopping waste criminals in their tracks.

"Communities are our partners in this - they act as our eyes and ears, and reporting information to us as soon as possible means we can take swift action to intervene.

"Waste crime blights communities and we're taking faster action to disrupt and prevent activity before it's established."

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