Poland illegal hazardous waste dumps

In early August 2026, attention centered on an illegal chemical‑waste site in Wołomin, where thousands of corroding drums were leaking toxic substances and posed a heightened fire risk amid extreme heat. Local officials warned of possible rupture, sought state funding for safe disposal, and opened a criminal investigation.

A few days later, authorities broadened the scope, linking the Wołomin dump to a massive illegal hazardous‑waste repository near the Bełchatów Power Plant. The expanded probe uncovered about 50,000 tonnes of dangerous chemicals, led to 152 arrests, asset seizures worth roughly 23 million zł, and highlighted 56 similar locations nationwide. The investigation remains ongoing, with suspects at large and further funding requests to secure the sites.

Recent developments in Rogowiec, near the Bełchatów Power Plant, have seen investigators utilize 2D and 3D modeling technology to map the site’s topography and container distribution. Police have described this location as one of the largest illegal hazardous waste landfills in Europe.

In a separate incident in Milaćin, within the Pruszków district, emergency services discovered a chemical waste site inside abandoned farm buildings. Specialized ecological rescue teams in protective gear were deployed to manage soil contamination and transfer spilled substances into replacement containers to prevent further spread into the groundwater and the surrounding ecosystem. Investigations into the origin of the Milaćin waste are ongoing.