MP demands tougher action on waste dump criminals

A local MP is to have high level meetings with government ministers to urge tougher action against criminals like those responsible for one of the largest illegal waste dumps in the UK, discovered in a field on Merseyside.

Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley said she is "extremely concerned about the effects that this could have on the health of residents" from the site just off the M57 in Kirkby in Knowsley which contains about 30,000 tonnes of rubbish.

"It is organised crime on a mass scale and it is going on right across the country," the Labour MP said.

Merseyside Police and the Environment Agency said they took action to shut the site down and promised to "prosecute those responsible".

She added: "Criminals are just getting away with this.

"The sentencing and punishments for these crimes need to be far stronger."

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It's totally horrendous and unacceptable that this huge illegal waste dump is in my constituency.

"I have raised this with the Minister and will be meeting her on this issue soon.

"Just last week in PMQs, I raised the issue of illegal waste dumps.

"I have been working with the Council, the Police and the Environment Agency and will continue to do so until this is sorted."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "The public should be assured that we will use all our powers to prosecute the criminals responsible."

LDRS understands the EA started a criminal investigation after officers attended the site at the start of December, following reports of mixed waste being deposited.

The site has previously had registered waste exemptions, which allows for low level waste activity.

These have now been withdrawn by the Environment Agency.

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