Key facts
- The Environment Agency said five arrests have been made in its investigation into the dumping.
- Specialist removal teams aim to clear up to 25 lorry loads of waste each day.
- The government said the whole clearance operation is expected to be complete in spring 2027.
- Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the government is increasing the use of drones and raising fines to tackle waste crime.
- The government said fines for rogue actors who dump waste illegally are set to rise to up to £5,000 from a current maximum of £300.
Work has begun to clear the Bolton House Road illegal waste site in Wigan, the UK government announced on November 10, 2026. The operation will see an estimated 18,000 tonnes of commercial and household waste dug up and removed, with specialist teams aiming to clear up to 25 lorry loads each day. The government said the whole operation is expected to be complete in spring 2027.
The site caused disruption for residents, and a fire there in summer 2025 forced a nearby school to close as a precaution. The government, working with Wigan council, stepped in to clean it up.
The Environment Agency is investigating the dumping, and five arrests have been made, the agency said. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: "This government is taking decisive action to put an end to waste crime, and this major clean-up is an important step in putting things right for local people."
Wigan Council leader Councillor Nazia Rehman said waste removal is underway and thanked campaigners. Caroline Berry, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said the agency has made a number of arrests and its focus remains on bringing those responsible to justice.
The government said the clean-up is part of a wider program that includes Midland Road in Bradford. It said it is increasing the use of drones, giving mayors and police a bigger role, and raising fines, with rogue actors set to face fines of up to £5,000, up from a current maximum of £300. A new Waste Crime Crackdown Group, chaired by Eagle, held its first meeting the previous week, the government said.