(Image: Scott Heppell/PA Agency)
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to crack down on illegal waste dumping as he visited Bradford to announce new measures aimed and clearing the long-running Midland Road waste site.
Mr Burnham visited Grange Interlink Community Centre on Thursday, August 20, alongside Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle and Bradford West MP Naz Shah, where they met residents to discuss concerns about illegal dumping, fly-tipping and environmental issues affecting the area.
The visit came ahead of a tour of the Midland Road site, one of three major illegal waste dumps identified by the Government for clearance under a new national crackdown on waste crime.
Residents welcome swift action
Speaking after meeting local residents, Mr Burnham said people had expressed appreciation that action had been taken quickly to address concerns about the site.
The Prime Minister said: "The feedback was appreciation, actually,
"I think that we've stepped in so quickly…Unlike other parts of the country, where these dumps have been allowed to grow to quite an overwhelming size, enforcement action was taken.
"There was a step-in approach and, while it's still an issue that needs resolving, the new approach the Government is taking is a sign that it's working."
Residents living near the site have previously raised concerns about the impact of the waste mountain on their community, including environmental issues, unpleasant odours and potential risks to public health.
"You don't actually know what's in there"
Mr Burnham said illegal waste sites posed significant dangers because of the uncertainty surrounding the materials being stored.
Dame Eagle said: "These big toxic waste dumps are precisely the problem and because they're illegal, you don't actually know what's in there,"
"You have to do proper surveys so that they can be dealt with in a safe way and often in hot weather, like we've had recently, these things can combust and cause toxic fumes.
"So we have to make sure that we deal with them. But we also have to prevent more of them growing."
The Prime Minister added that fly-tipping and illegal waste dumping were issues raised repeatedly by residents during the visit.
He said: "It was pointed out to us that fireworks have been dumped, or used fireworks maybe not all of them used, presenting not just something that's unsightly but potentially hazardous as well.”
As part of the Government's plans, fixed penalties for waste offences are set to rise from £300 to £5,000, while enforcement agencies will receive additional powers and resources to pursue offenders.
“We’re going to make sure the polluter pays”
Mr Burnham said authorities would focus on targeting the profits generated by waste crime.
He said: "“We’re going to make sure the polluter pays as well. In the past, where we haven’t been upfront with dealing with it, has left us with a big bill.”
“What we're going to do now, with the help of the National Crime Agency, is seize assets, vehicles, properties and use proceeds of crime provisions,"
"By taking that type of approach, it opens up the possibility of a polluter-pays approach to this, so that the bill doesn't fall on the taxpayer, but we land it where we should be landed."
He added that the Government was taking a comprehensive approach, from tackling household fly-tipping to targeting organised criminal networks responsible for large-scale illegal dumping.
Dame Angela Eagle said: "We have to prevent more of them growing. Once you clear the site, you have to make certain that it stays cleared,"
"That's why a lot of the announcements we're making today are about intelligence, working with the National Crime Agency and a beefed-up Environment Agency response, so that we can start to disrupt upstream, cancel waste permits, take people to court and make arrests."
Bradford site among three earmarked for clearance
The Midland Road site has been identified as one of three illegal waste dumps across England that will be prioritised for clearance under the latest Government initiative, alongside sites in Kent and Surrey.
After meeting residents at Grange Interlink Community Centre, Burnham, Eagle and Shah travelled to Midland Road to view the site first-hand and discuss the next steps in the clean-up operation.