An Ilkeston site has been included on a new national Environment Agency watchlist highlighting “high priority waste sites” across England.
The list, published this week, identifies 117 locations nationwide which the Environment Agency says are causing concern within local communities.
Among the entries is “Ilkeston, Derbyshire”, with the waste type listed as “Vehicles” and an estimated waste amount of 100 tonnes.
According to the Environment Agency, the publication of the list forms part of wider efforts to tackle illegal and irregular waste activity and improve transparency around sites it is currently investigating or monitoring.
“Illegal and irregular waste activities harm communities, damage the environment, and undermine legitimate businesses.”
However, the Environment Agency has not publicly identified the exact Ilkeston location or any operator connected to the entry.
The agency says it is limited in how much detail it can publish because it must avoid prejudicing ongoing enquiries or any associated enforcement action. It also stresses that whether any activity is illegal is ultimately a matter for the courts to decide.
The Ilkeston listing appears alongside sites across England involving a wide range of waste categories, including tyres, construction waste, commercial waste, mixed shredded waste and abandoned vehicles. Some of the larger sites on the list are estimated to contain tens of thousands of tonnes of waste material.
The Environment Agency says the watchlist will be updated monthly as investigations and enforcement work continue – you can access the full list here.
Anyone with information about suspected waste crime or illegal waste activity is encouraged to report it to the Environment Agency.