A second arrest has been made as the Environment Agency continues its investigation into suspected illegal waste dumping in Liverpool. A 45-year-old man was detained on Wednesday 11 March in the south of the city; the update was published on Friday 13 March 2026. (gov.uk)

The latest action follows a joint operation on Monday 2 February with the Joint Unit for Waste Crime and Merseyside Police, when another 45-year-old suspect was arrested and an HGV was seized. Investigators have since confiscated an excavator believed to be linked to the site. (gov.uk)

Environment Agency area environment manager Jennifer Brittlebank said the inquiry is progressing and stressed that proven offenders will face legal consequences, adding that local intelligence remains crucial to protect affected communities. (gov.uk)

The wider picture underlines why enforcement matters. Local authorities in England recorded 1.26 million fly‑tipping incidents in 2024/25, up 9% year-on-year. Sixty‑two percent involved household waste, councils carried out 572,000 enforcement actions, and the clearance bill for large incidents alone reached £19.3m. Separately, the Environment Agency dealt with 98 major illegal dumping incidents not counted in council figures. (gov.uk)

Independent analysis for the House of Lords Library estimates waste crime costs England around £1bn a year and notes 749 new illegal waste sites were identified in 2024/25-roughly ten every week-highlighting the scale facing regulators and councils. (lordslibrary.parliament.uk)

Authorities are scaling up their response. On 20 February, the Environment Agency announced a 33‑strong drone squad-adding LiDAR mapping to build court‑ready evidence-plus a screening tool that flags suspect HGV operator licence applications against waste‑permit records. The Joint Unit for Waste Crime has been reinforced to 20 specialists, and the agency reports a record year with 751 illegal waste sites shut. (gov.uk)

Better reporting will strengthen that response. The National Waste Crime Survey 2025 suggests about one‑fifth of waste may be illegally managed and indicates only 27% of incidents are reported to the Environment Agency-evidence that public tip‑offs can still grow. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

Practical steps help cut off demand for rogue operators. Residents and small firms can check a contractor’s waste‑carrier registration on the Environment Agency public register, secure a waste transfer note for business waste, and keep basic records of who collected what, when and where. (gov.uk)

Anyone with information about the Liverpool site can call the Environment Agency’s 24‑hour incident line on 0800 80 70 60, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The investigation continues with the JUWC and Merseyside Police. (gov.uk)