Minister calls waste dump 'utterly appalling'

An environment minister has said major waste crime is "becoming out of control" as she acknowledged the need for a different approach to tackling the issue.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Hayman of Ullock called the waste dump beside the A34 at Kidlington in Oxfordshire "utterly appalling".

The baroness, who is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said the government is looking to introduce digital waste tracking to help combat illegal activities.

Preparations have started for the 150 metre-long (490ft) waste tip clear-up which is due to begin next month.

In November, the Environment Agency (EA) declared a critical incident over the 20,000 tonnes of illegal waste, that reached 12m in height.

"It is important to recognise that it was exceptional. We need to concentrate on the fact that waste crime is more and more frequent," Baroness Hayman said in response to concerns raised by peers.

"The status quo is not acceptable and we are seriously looking at what we can do to make the improvements that are needed."

Responding to Liberal Democrat peer Lord Russell, she said the government was "committed to the introduction of digital waste tracking".

"The analysis of data that this brings will enable us to provide a significant asset for regulators and enforcement bodies in the fight that we have against waste crime."

She added the EA was looking at "other technology-based opportunities" for the purpose and said the agency was being provided with "extra, targeted funds".

Baroness Hayman said prevention and disruption work to intervene in criminal activity "is just as important".

"It is important to say quite clearly that the government do not believe that the status quo is working," she said.

On 7 January, arborists began felling trees by the entrance of the Kidlington site to allow safe passage to and from the main road.

The mound of rubbish is made of what appears to be processed domestic waste, shredded plastics, polystyrene, tyres and other household items, and stretches through a field near the River Cherwell.

Environment minister Mary Creagh previously said the clearance work at Killington was expected to take about six to nine months.

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