Essex illegal waste site raided

A complex of illegal waste sites was raided this week by the Environment Agency with support from Essex police.


28 Environment Agency officers, accompanied by police officers and officers from the UK Border Agency and BT, entered Morelands Industrial Estate, Rettendon at 10am, as part of an ongoing investigation by the EA into illegal waste sites.

Four men were arrested and are being questioned at a local police station.

There is a history of the site being used for the unlicensed deposit, storage and treatment of controlled waste, mostly scrap metal and in particular ‘end of life’ vehicles.

Intelligence gathered indicated that activities across the complex had significantly grown over the past year

Officers carried out a thorough and detailed search of the site and premises, finding many scrap vehicles still containing hazardous substances such as oil and brake fluid, and piles of other scrap metals.

Suspected waste electrical and electronic equipment was also found.

Matt Butcher, environment management team leader, said: “We take the problems of illegal waste very seriously and work in close partnership with other agencies, such as the police, to ensure appropriate action is taken against those believed to be committing these offences.”

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