The Environment Agency has announced that work has now begun to remove 18,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from a notorious site in Wigan, in an operation expected to cost around £4.8m and continue until spring 2027.
The government-funded clearance at Bolton House Road, Bickershaw, will involve specialist teams from Acumen Waste Services removing commercial and household waste at a rate of up to 25 lorry loads a day.
This will come at a substantial cost to the public purse, with the government stepping in to fund the work alongside Wigan Council after the site caused prolonged disruption to the local community.
Acumen was awarded the £4.6m (£4.8m including VAT) contract in September.
Fire
A fire broke out at the site in July 2025, burning for around a week and forcing a nearby school to close as a precaution. Residents have also endured persistent disruption from the waste, which has been the subject of an Environment Agency criminal investigation.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: “No community should have to live with the misery that illegal waste sites like this in Wigan inflict on their everyday lives.
“This government is taking decisive action to put an end to waste crime, and this major clean-up is an important step in putting things right for local people.”
Five arrests have been made in connection with the dumping, as the Environment Agency continues its investigation into those responsible.
Councillor Nazia Rehman, leader of Wigan Council, said the start of waste removal represented an important milestone for residents.
She said: “This local community has had to put up with this illegal waste site for too long, and the unacceptable impact it has had on their lives.
“I want to thank everyone who has campaigned tirelessly to get us to this point and this is a really important milestone, with waste removal now underway.”
Caroline Berry, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said the first loads leaving the site would hopefully bring some relief to residents.
She added: “Removing the waste is a major milestone, but it is not the end of the journey. We will work closely with the council on the long-term future of the site once the clearance is complete.”
Organised waste crime
The Wigan operation comes amid renewed government efforts to tackle organised waste crime. Last week, the first meeting of a new Waste Crime Crackdown Group, chaired by Eagle, brought together regulators and law enforcement agencies.
The group was covered in the Recycling Hub’s report on the Environment Secretary’s latest waste crime crackdown.
The government has also pledged tougher penalties, including increasing the maximum fine for certain waste offences from £300 to £5,000, alongside greater use of drones and expanded asset confiscation powers.