Access to waste site blocked over illegal dumping

Access to an industrial site in Worcestershire has been stopped over illegal waste dumping, the Environment Agency has said.

A spokesperson for the government agency said a court had granted an application for a restriction order on Blackpole Recycling Ltd in Worcester, which allows it to "prevent access to the site".

The EA spokesperson added that it was working with police and other partners to ensure no more waste was deposited.

Blackpole Recycling Ltd has been contacted for comment.

It comes after inspections were carried out at the site in February, after some businesses reported waste being deposited and lorries arriving to dump rubbish at the site like a "military operation".

The EA first issued the operator with a suspension notice on 17 February, due to piles of wood and plasterboard exceeding safe limits and a failure to maintain fire breaks.

But inspections on 23 and 25 February confirmed new waste had been added to the site with waste piling up about 6m (20ft) high, both inside and outside of the main shed.

In a statement issued in February, an EA spokesperson said it was committed to stopping "waste criminals".

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