Exclusive: Concerns over impact on health and environment, as well as £1.63bn in avoided landfill tax
The UK is estimated to have at least 8,000 illegal waste sites, containing approximately 13m tonnes of rubbish, research has revealed.
The scale of the criminal dumping means at least £1.63bn of landfill taxes have been avoided, according to an analysis of data from the satellite company Air & Space Evidence, shared with the Guardian and Watershed Investigations.
“The big concern is that along with avoiding landfill tax, they are also avoiding the regulations that control what can go in landfill and ensure that people and the environment are protected,” said Prof Kate Spencer, a landfill expert at Queen Mary University of London.
“There’s nothing to stop any pollutants being washed into nearby rivers or soils. We also know that illegal waste disposal can create a big concern for local communities in terms of smell, eyesore and littering.
