Work to clear 18,000 tonnes of waste from notorious site in Wigan begins

An operation has started to remove 18,000 tonnes of waste from an illegal site in Wigan.

Clearance of the waste at Bolton House Road in Bickershaw is expected to be completed in the spring of next year.

The government said specialist teams will aim to remove 25 lorry loads of the commercial and household waste every day.

The work will bring "relief to a community that has endured major disruption from the notorious site", said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Environment Agency has made five arrests in connection with the Wigan site.

Last week, it emerged that people living near the site were being offered health checks, including asthma and blood pressure assessments.

In July, Sky News revealed how Wigan was one of three illegal waste sites in the country where a toxic mix of hundreds of chemicals had been detected.

In the summer of 2025, a fire at the site forced the closure of a nearby school as a precaution.

Andy Burnham has previously called the site "shocking" - adding "organised crime" had left the surrounding communities "paying the price".

The prime minister has promised a crackdown on waste crime.

In March, the Environment Agency published a 10-point plan for tackling it.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the "thugs" responsible for the waste will be found, adding: "No community should have to live with the misery that illegal waste sites like this in Wigan inflict on their everyday lives.

"This government is taking decisive action to put an end to waste crime, and this major clean-up is an important step in putting things right for local people."

The leader of Wigan Council, Nazia Rehman, said: "This local community has had to put up with this illegal waste site for too long, and the unacceptable impact it has had on their lives.

"I want to thank everyone who has campaigned tirelessly to get us to this point and this is a really important milestone, with waste removal now under way.

"We want to continue engaging with local residents about how we can ensure a cleaner, safer future for the area once waste is completely removed from the site."

(c) Sky News 2026: Work to clear 18,000 tonnes of waste from notorious site in Wigan begins