Officers attended the site on Midland Road after receiving reports of illegal waste activity on 1 July 2026.
Initial assessments estimated that several thousand tonnes of mixed household and commercial waste had been deposited on the land.
The Environment Agency said it is pursuing several lines of enquiry to identify those responsible for the illegal dumping and is also working to trace the landowner to ensure the site is properly secured.
The regulator is working alongside Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service as the investigation continues.
The Environment Agency has also appealed for anyone with information about the site or those responsible to come forward.
Ben Hocking, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “We have launched an investigation to find those responsible for illegal waste dumping in central Bradford so they can be held to account.
“We are assessing the site’s environmental impact and making enquiries to trace the landowner to ensure the site is secured.”
No arrests or enforcement action have yet been announced, with enquiries remaining at an early stage.
Renewed focus on waste crime
The discovery comes as the Environment Agency continues to increase its focus on tackling waste crime across England.
The regulator recently launched a new 10 Point Plan aimed at strengthening enforcement against illegal waste operators, including earlier intervention to prevent unlawful sites from becoming established.
The strategy includes greater use of intelligence-led investigations, stronger partnerships with local authorities and police forces, and faster action to disrupt organised waste crime.
The Environment Agency says illegal dumping not only harms the environment but also places significant costs on legitimate businesses and local communities.
Hocking added: “Waste crime scars communities and under our 10 Point Plan we’re acting quickly to tackle illegal activity and shut down sites.”
Join enforcement agencies, local authorities, waste management companies and policy makers to get to grips with the new regulatory landscape at the National Waste Crime Conference 2026 on 3 November 2026 in London – find out more here.
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