# UK illegal waste dumping investigations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/uk-illegal-waste-dumping-investigations
> Updated: 2026-08-05T16:37:39.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

In late July 2026, authorities in Gloucester began a joint operation to clear a two‑acre flood‑plain that had been used for illegal fly‑tipping since February. Over 200 tonnes of mixed waste, including asbestos, were removed by the Environment Agency, Gloucester City Council and police, who also issued legal notices to the landowner and warned residents about unlicensed waste contractors.

A week later, the crackdown expanded to Cornwall, where the Environment Agency, Cornwall Council and Devon and Cornwall Police arrested a man in his 20s as part of a probe into a 50,000‑tonne construction‑waste site near Camborne. The arrest, linked to earlier illegal‑waste stop letters, illustrates a broader enforcement effort under the agency’s Waste Crime Action Plan.

## Claims

- A man in his 20s was arrested near Camborne, Cornwall, as part of an Environment Agency waste crime investigation. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The site involved contains approximately 50,000 tonnes of predominantly inert construction waste. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Environment Agency previously issued Illegal Waste Stop Letters to the landowner, hauliers and operator at the Camborne site. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The arrest was carried out jointly by the Environment Agency, Cornwall Council and Devon and Cornwall Police. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Tim de Winton, Area Environment Manager, said the teams have been working tirelessly and the arrest is a vital step. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The arrested man has not yet been formally charged. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Environment Agency provides a 24‑hour incident hotline at 0800 807060 for information on environmental offences. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-05: Environment Agency arrests man in Cornwall waste crime probe

An unnamed man in his 20s was arrested near Camborne, Cornwall, in a joint operation by the Environment Agency, Cornwall Council and Devon & Cornwall Police over a site holding roughly 50,000 tonnes of inert w​

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/environment-agency-arrests-man-in-cornwall-waste-crime-probe

### 2026-07-24: Gloucester authorities launch clean‑up of 200‑tonne illegal waste dump

Over 200 tonnes of illegal waste, including asbestos, were dumped on a flood‑plain behind Gloucester’s St Oswald’s Retail Park. The Environment Agency, council and police are clearing the site and warning about

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gloucester-authorities-launch-cleanup-of-200tonne-illegal-waste-dump

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Cite as: UK illegal waste dumping investigations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/uk-illegal-waste-dumping-investigations