The waste dumping is located on Bolton House Roa in Bickershaw, which has been linked to the Duchy of Lancaster and Wigan Council.
An investigation by Channel 4 News found that around a third of the illegal waste site in Greater Manchester, is vested in the Duchy, which is King’s private estate.
A 58-year-old has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into this site and several others across England.
Ian Crewe, Area Director for Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire at the Environment Agency, said: “The illegal dumping at sites across England are an attack on our communities, and the Environment Agency shares their disgust at these horrendous crimes.
“Our teams have been working relentlessly on this investigation, and yesterday’s arrest are a vital step in collecting new evidence and progressing it further.”
Officers from West Midlands Police worked with the Environment Agency to arrest the suspect, who is from the Birmingham area.
He has now been released on conditional bail pending further investigation in connection with fraud, money laundering and environmental offences.
The investigation comes as the government is cracking down on waste crime, having laid laws this week to bring in new checks for qualified waste handlers.
Who is responsible for the clean up?
The site has been embroiled in controversy surrounding who should be responsible for the clean-up, with the government recently agreeing to foot the bill.
Defra has now met with local resident to discuss the operation and carry out further assessments.
Steps have also been taken to ensure that no further waste is dumped at the site, including the depositing of concrete blocks at the entrance of the site by the local authority.
Any information on this crime can be reported to the Environment Agency via its 24-hour incident hotline at 0800 807060 or anonymously via CrimeStoppers.
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