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Written question asked by Earl Russell (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 24 November 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 December 2025. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Monday, 8 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Waste: Crime

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the large-scale illegal waste dumping sites in (1) Sittingbourne in Kent, and (2) Camborne in Cornwall, which were listed as "active" in the letter from Baroness Hayman of Ullock to Lord Krebs on 5 November, are currently still receiving waste; and if so, why and what steps they are taking to close those sites.

Answer

Waste input ceased at the site in Sittingbourne in 2021. The site at Camborne experienced a period of cessation from June 2025 until the end of November 2025. At the end of November one further deposit of waste was discovered.

The original letter to Lord Krebs on 5 November gave descriptions of ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ sites. The description of an ‘active’ site said it continued to accept waste – this was incorrect. Defra apologises for this mistake and has issued a correction to Lord Krebs accordingly.

A site is considered ‘active’ in this context if the Environment Agency is taking action at the site. A site having ‘active’ status does not necessarily mean that the site is actively receiving waste


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL12269
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Crime Waste Sittingbourne Camborne
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk