Residents in Kirkby, Merseyside, are demanding a fast cleanup of a massive illegal rubbish dump that has appeared in a field near Junction 4 of the M57 motorway. The site is estimated to contain about 30,000 tonnes of waste, including tyres and building and household materials, which investigators say were brought in by HGVs over the past year, with most deposits occurring in November 2025.
On 5 February 2026 a joint operation by the Environment Agency and Merseyside Police led to at least one arrest and the seizure of a heavy goods vehicle, according to reporting and statements from local and national outlets and police. Authorities have secured the site and launched a criminal investigation into who organised the dumping.
Local MP Anneliese Midgley said the discovery has left constituents “furious” and described the situation in the strongest terms, saying it was “totally horrendous and unacceptable” that such an illegal waste dump was in her constituency. Residents have expressed fears about fires and contamination after reporters and investigators noted smoky vapours rising from the mounds.
Knowsley Council is working with partner agencies to secure the area. Early estimates put the cleanup cost at several million pounds, and reporting on similar large illegal dumps has warned that if the landowner cannot pay, public bodies such as the Environment Agency may incur costs — meaning taxpayers could ultimately bear some or all of the bill.
Investigations by the Environment Agency, Merseyside Police and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime are ongoing.
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