Massive pile of “potentially hazardous waste” dumped at Brentwood primary school drop off point
A nearby school have warned parents there could be asbestos in the rubbish - and contractors to remove it might cost up to £12,000
Last updated 25th Jan 2024
Up to 20 tonnes of “potentially hazardous waste” that could be contaminated with asbestos has been dumped in a Brentwood beauty spot car park used by children as a drop off point for school.
The huge pile of steaming waste was deposited overnight at the South Weald country park car park in Brentwood between Wednesday and Thursday morning last week.
Brentwood borough councillor and leader of the Conservative Group, Will Russell, who reported the mess to Essex County Council estimates there could between 15 and 20 tonnes of what looks like landfilled waste.
A sign on the mound from Explore Essex which looks after the country park says: “Potentially hazardous waste. Keep clear.”
A statement from St Peters primary school is warning parents there could be asbestos in the rubbish which will require specialist contractors to remove it at a cost of between £9,000 and £12,000. The car park will remain closed until it the rubbish is removed. Normally about 50 cars use the car park every day as a picking up and dropping off point.
A statement from head teacher of St Peters primary school, Iain Gunn, said: “The park car park will have to remain closed until the fly tipping is removed. The council need to use specialist contractors and the estimated cost is between £9k and £12K as there could be asbestos in the rubbish.
“There is also a tree across the path that will have to be cleared. Please take extra care around school as there will be more cars- please be sensible about where you park.”
Essex County Council is working with Safer Brentwood to explore options including physical ones to prevent a recurrence.
A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: “We are working with specialists to remove the large fly tip in Weald Country Park and dispose of it responsibly. We appreciate residents’ patience while this is carried out.
“We are also working with Safer Brentwood to try and prevent future occurrences of fly tipping in the area.
“There is never any justification for fly tipping. It is a criminal offence that can result in prosecution.”
The incident comes around two weeks after Brentwood Council announced it is looking to set up a fly-tipping “response team” costing £70,000 annually after a doubling of incidents over the past two years.
From 2012 to 2021 the number of fly-tips over the borough had remained fairly constant, with approximately 600 fly-tips per year.
However, in the last two years, the borough has experienced a two-fold increase in the number of fly-tips – from 687 to 1,359.
There were 462 in 2019/20, 585 in 2020/21, 687 in 2021/22, 1,069 in 2022/23 and 1,359 to date in this finance year.
Councillor Russell said: “Fly tipping has long posed a significant challenge for Local Authorities, land owners, and the general public. Rarely do we encounter an incident of such immense scale and magnitude. The infuriating aspect of this particular occurrence is that it has desecrated a cherished beauty spot, fuelling widespread anger and frustration.
“It is evident that these materials were never intended for recycling and may even be linked to organised crime. Rest assured, I am firmly resolved to collaborate closely with Brentwood and Essex Council, as well as all relevant organisations, to pro-actively address and overcome this pressing issue.”