What was the House of Lords committee investigating?

The committee was investigating organized waste crime and illegal dumping that posed serious environmental risks.

Which illegal waste sites were not initially reported by the Environment Agency?

Sites in Kidlington (Oxfordshire), Wigan, and Worcestershire were reportedly not disclosed by the Environment Agency.

How did the Environment Agency respond to the allegations?

The Environment Agency stated the claims were inaccurate and that they had responded comprehensively to the committee's questions.

Home / Environment / Lords Probe Hidden Waste Dumps

Lords Probe Hidden Waste Dumps

5 Dec, 2025

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Summary

House of Lords committee chair alarmed by undisclosed waste sites.
Environment Agency claims it answered all questions asked.
Several large illegal waste dumps were not reported to the committee.

A House of Lords committee chair has voiced alarm regarding the Environment Agency's (EA) alleged failure to disclose multiple illegal waste sites during an inquiry. Baroness Shas Sheehan expressed disappointment that sites in Kidlington, Wigan, and Worcestershire, which have since surfaced in media reports, were not brought to the committee's attention.

The committee's focus was on organized waste crime and illegal dumping posing environmental risks. The EA, in its submission, listed known sites in Kent, Lancashire, Cheshire, Cornwall, and Norfolk. Baroness Sheehan is concerned that other substantial and environmentally damaging sites may also have been omitted from their evidence.

The Environment Agency has contested the claims, stating they engaged in good faith and provided comprehensive responses to the questions posed. They clarified that their submission directly addressed a request for sites comparable to the Hoads Wood dump in Kent, and that additional sites reported in the media did not fit the defined criteria.