Officers from Greater Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire Police, working alongside the Environment Agency, arrested the suspects on suspicion of environmental, fraud and money laundering offences.
Those arrested are a 41-year-old man from Wigan, a 35-year-old man from Wigan, a 24-year-old man from Leeds and a 59-year-old man from Liverpool.
The Environment Agency said its National Environmental Crime Unit is leading the investigation to identify those responsible for the offending and bring them to justice.
The 24-year-old man from Leeds was also arrested in connection with alleged waste dumping at Cave’s Inn Pits, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near Shawell, Leicestershire.
The latest arrests follow the detention of a 58-year-old man from the Birmingham area in May as part of the same investigation.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the action as “just the start” of efforts to tackle organised waste crime.
He commented: “I have stood on Bolton House Road and seen what local people have had to live with.
“It is shocking – an ocean of rubbish piled up next to a primary school, and families unable to escape the smell in their own homes.
“This is not fly tipping. This is organised crime, and it is local communities that are paying the price.”
‘Not on my watch’
The waste dumping is located on Bolton House Road in Bickershaw, which has been linked to the Duchy of Lancaster and Wigan Council.
Thousands of tonnes of waste were illegally deposited at the site, prompting persistent complaints from nearby residents about odours.
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.
Last summer, a fire at the site burned for almost a week, with smoke forcing nearby schools to close while emergency services tackled the blaze.
Burnham added: “For too long, this issue has been ignored. But not on my watch.
“Today’s action by the Environment Agency and the police is just the start of our plans. The days of making easy money from waste are over.”
The Environment Agency said robust measures have already been put in place to prevent any further waste being deposited at Bolton House Road, including the installation of concrete blocks at the site’s entrance by Wigan Council.
The council is now seeking to appoint a specialist contractor to clear the waste after receiving assurances that funding for the clean-up will be made available.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle commented: “The appalling dumping of waste at Bolton House Road and Cave’s Inn Pits represents a blatant disregard for local communities and the environment.
“I want to be clear to waste criminals: we are coming for you.”
Investigation continues
Sue Longstone, the Environment Agency’s Director of Operations for the North, described the dumping at both Bolton House Road and Cave’s Inn Pits as “atrocious attacks on our communities”.
She said: “Our teams have been working relentlessly on these investigations, and our arrests are a vital step in collecting new evidence and progressing it further.”
At Cave’s Inn Pits, around 30,000 tonnes of shredded waste in layers before covering it with soil was dumped.
Alongside its criminal investigation, the Environment Agency said it is continuing to assess the waste and monitor local air and water quality to ensure there are no further environmental impacts.
The National Waste Crime Conference takes place on 3 November 2026 in London. The one-day event will bring together professionals from across enforcement, regulation, local government and the waste industry to examine the challenges posed by waste crime and the sector’s response to the new regulatory landscape. Find out more and secure your ticket here.
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