The Leader of Knowsley Council has this week met with the Environment Agency to pursue positive action on clearing 30,000 tonnes of waste illegally dumped on greenbelt land next to J4 of the M57 / A580 in Knowsley.
Representatives from Knowsley Council and Environment Agency have been in regular dialogue over the last two months about this issue, but the Leader of the Council was keen to speak directly to the Environment Agency given the seriousness of the situation for residents in Knowsley.
Cllr Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council said: “I have been absolutely clear in my disgust and frustration with the people who are responsible for this huge waste dump.
“Ensuring this site is cleared as soon as possible is my key priority and therefore I felt it was really important for me to meet personally with the Environment Agency – as the organisation who are acting to identify those responsible for this crime given their powers and responsibilities to do so.
“At the meeting I asked for an update on their investigations to apprehend those responsible and also asked for further detail on their work to analyse the waste that is present. Importantly I also wanted to understand the potential next steps for clearing the site and removing any risk to the residents.
The illegally dumped waste on the site in February 2026.
“It was a useful meeting, and I was pleased to hear the progress that is being made to identify those responsible – that work is ongoing. I was also assured at the urgency and priority the Environment Agency are placing on this work. It was clear that they share our resolve to ensure those people behind this are prosecuted and ultimately that they realise the legal and financial consequences of acting so maliciously towards our community.
“But I am also under no illusion that there is a simple and quick fix here so whilst I will fully support the Environment Agency with their ongoing efforts, I will continue to push all involved for swift and decisive action on this matter. It matters too much to me and to our residents.”
Alongside their criminal investigation specialists from the Environment Agency will continue to test and identify the contents of the waste that has been dumped. The results will need to be properly analysed and the ground tested to identify any specific risks. Given the volume of waste on site, this work is expected to take several weeks.
In addition to working closely with Knowsley Council and Merseyside Police, the Environment Agency is also linking in with Merseyside Fire and Rescue to ensure they can assess any potential risks on site.
In line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, the Environment Agency must do everything possible to ensure that those who deposited the waste pay for the cost of removing it. If this is not possible, it becomes the landowner’s responsibility to remove the waste.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We took action with Knowsley Council and Merseyside Police to shut down access to this illegal waste dump as soon as we became aware of it and are hunting down those involved.
“The public should be assured that we will take action against the criminals responsible and we are doing everything within our powers and remit to help manage the site.
“We are keen to remind the public that this site is a crime scene and no unauthorised access should take place. We will work with our partners in Knowsley Council to improve site security.”
Anyone with information can contact the Environment Agency on 0800 807060 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Further updates will be provided.