A 999 call from a member of the public triggered swift enforcement in Essex on 6 February, after waste was dumped on private land at Stapleford Tawney near Romford, close to the M25/M11 interchange. Essex Police arrested two men at the scene; officers later questioned them on behalf of the Environment Agency, which is leading enquiries.

Arriving officers found a lorry loaded with construction and demolition waste and further rubbish scattered across the field. The vehicle, which had sunk into thick mud, was seized alongside two mobile phones and a laptop for examination.

The men held are a 55‑year‑old from Horley, Surrey, and a 25‑year‑old from Mullaghbawn, County Armagh. They remain under investigation while the Environment Agency examines the evidence and works to establish the waste’s origin and intended destination.

Barry Russell, the Environment Agency’s environment manager for the northern Home Counties, said his team shares public frustration at waste crime and thanked the caller whose quick decision to dial 999 enabled a rapid response. He urged anyone with information to contact the Environment Agency’s 24‑hour incident hotline on 0800 807060 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111; calls are treated in confidence.

The Agency said it opened a local investigation in February after receiving intelligence about activity by the motorway. Enquiries continue, with officers assessing the seized vehicle and digital devices.

This incident forms part of a broader series of operations across England targeting large‑scale waste offending, as well as suspected fraud and money laundering. In recent weeks the Agency and police have also made arrests linked to investigations in Greater Manchester, Kidlington and Merseyside.

Environment Agency figures show both scale and progress. Since 2020, almost 200 people have been arrested through the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, a partnership between the Agency and law‑enforcement bodies. In 2024/25, officers stopped activity at 743 illegal waste sites, including 143 deemed high‑risk.

In a separate case, three men were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the dumping of almost 1,200 tonnes of mixed household, commercial and industrial waste at Kirby Cane near Norwich-evidence of the volumes involved in organised offending.

The two men arrested near Romford were released on bail with strict conditions: no contact with each other, no transporting waste, and no being in a vehicle used in waste management. They are due to return to Harlow police station on 26 February.

Residents and small firms can help close the door on waste crime. Always use a registered waste carrier, check their licence on the Environment Agency’s public register, and ask for a written waste transfer note. If a dumping is under way or you feel unsafe, call 999. To report non‑emergencies, use the Environment Agency’s incident line on 0800 807060 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.