At Hankerlow 500,000 cubic metres of waste were dumped when planning permission was given for only 80,000 cubic metres. Altogether 30 golf courses are under investigation for illegal dumping. A similar picture emerges of illegal dumping on farms. In Hertfordshire, at Valley View farm, near South Oxhey the agency is planning to prosecute 240 hauliers after they discovered hospital and household waste had been dumped to a height of 40 feet. The county council tried to stop the dumping by blocking an access road - but the lorries smashed though a barrier to continue their work.
Enforcement is a big problem.
When enforcement orders are made they are often ignored until expensive court procedures have been exhaustively followed. Michael Meacher, the environment minister, was challenged on Dispatches to act on the problem - particularly the environment agency's inability to police dumps because of a lack of cash. No moves are in hand to increase fines or use to customs and excise powers to pounce on firms that evade landfill tax.