Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police, acting in support of the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council, arrested the suspect yesterday (5 August 2026) on suspicion of environmental offences.
The site is believed to contain around 50,000 tonnes of predominantly inert construction waste.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with Cornwall Council, which is investigating alleged offences at a separate site.
The regulator said it had previously taken action to stop large-scale waste deposits at the Camborne site, including issuing Illegal Waste Stop Letters to the landowner, operator and hauliers involved.
Tim de Winton, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Our teams have been working tirelessly in our investigation into activities at this site. This arrest is a vital step in collecting new evidence and progressing matters further.
“We will take tough action against those who flout the laws designed to protect communities and the environment.”
The Environment Agency (EA) recently released a list of over 100 “high risk” waste sites that are reportedly causing “concern within local communities”.
The total tonnage of waste at all the sites being monitored equates to almost 1.9 million tonnes across 117 sites.
Renewed focus on waste crime
The arrest 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.
Any information can be reported to the Environment Agency via its 24-hour incident hotline at 0800 807060 or anonymously via Crimestoppers.
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