‘It smelled like dead people’: the plan to tackle England’s illegal waste problem
Andy Burnham has announced a crackdown, but doubts remain over authorities’ ability to take on organised crime
TL;DR
- An illegal waste dump in Bradford caused severe odor issues, impacting a local nursery and businesses.
- Waste crime is a major problem in England, with 10,238 reports in 2025, costing the economy £1 billion annually.
- Clean-up costs for illegal waste sites can be substantial, with one site in Kent costing £15 million.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared an end to easy money from waste crime and plans a crackdown.
- Concerns exist about the Environment Agency's and mayoral authorities' effectiveness in combating organised waste crime.
- More funding and improved intelligence are needed to tackle the issue effectively.