Fumes, rats and maggots: peer urges Environment Agency to clear illegal dump in Wigan

Illegal Waste Dump in Wigan Poses Environmental Hazard

A 25,000-tonne illegal waste dump next to a primary school in Wigan presents "a grave environmental hazard" and should be cleared, according to Shas Sheehan, the chair of the Lords environment committee.

Sheehan challenged the refusal of the Environment Agency to clean up the illegal waste dump on Bolton House Road in Wigan, despite the agency spending millions clearing up illegal waste in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

After visiting the site in the village of Bickershaw, Wigan, Sheehan said a clean-up was urgent due to "not only its environmental risks but also because of its public health imperatives." The dump caught fire for 10 days last summer, forcing the nearby school to close and leading to residents having to shut their windows due to hazardous fumes.

Sheehan warned that as temperatures rise, the dump could lead to further fires, as well as rat infestations and proliferation of flies and maggots. "The pervasive stench already apparent during my January visit will intensify markedly," she said.

The Environment Agency has drawn up plans to remove the waste, but only if funds become available. The agency has taken action to clean up the waste dump in Kidlington because of the significant risk to the environment, but does not consider the Wigan site to carry the same level of risk.

The government said the largest area of land on which the waste had been dumped in Wigan had no owner, and has now reverted to the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster. "At present, the EA and partners have no powers to require the Duchy of Lancaster to clear that land," the minister added.

Criminal investigations are ongoing into the illegal dumping in both Kidlington and Wigan. A spokesperson for the Duchy of Lancaster said they remain committed to working with Wigan council and the Environment Agency to address the issue.

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