Thames Area regulated industry sites

In the Thames area, we regulate a large number of permitted sites, including factories, landfills and agricultural producers. This page will highlight the sites that we receive the highest level of interest for. You will find site information, frequently asked questions and answers regarding our work, inspection updates and latest news. If you are interested in a site not given here, please email our customer and enquiries team.


To ensure you receive notifications about our most recent work for these sites, register with us and then subscribe to follow this page by clicking the link in the information bar.


If you experience any issues relating to any of these sites, or sites not listed on this page, please call our pollution hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Use this link to find out more about how to report an environmental issue.


Environment Agency staff carrying out site assessments

In the Thames area, we regulate a large number of permitted sites, including factories, landfills and agricultural producers. This page will highlight the sites that we receive the highest level of interest for. You will find site information, frequently asked questions and answers regarding our work, inspection updates and latest news. If you are interested in a site not given here, please email our customer and enquiries team.


To ensure you receive notifications about our most recent work for these sites, register with us and then subscribe to follow this page by clicking the link in the information bar.


If you experience any issues relating to any of these sites, or sites not listed on this page, please call our pollution hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Use this link to find out more about how to report an environmental issue.


Environment Agency staff carrying out site assessments

  • Press release - 2 December

    Simon Hawkins, the Environment Agency's Director of Operations for East and South East England and Robin Rogers, Director for Economy and Place at Oxfordshire County Council, said:

    “Partner agencies have been working closely together to monitor the potential community and environment impacts from the illegal Kidlington waste dump and manage any risks and have agreed a strategic objective to look at all options for clearing the site.

    “We have agreed to work together to tackle clearing the waste in a safe manner as soon as possible. We will set out further details around options and timeframes shortly.”

  • Latest news - Kidlington illegal waste site

    The Environment Agency is continuing to take action to protect our environment and the local community from the large-scale dumping of illegal waste near Kidlington.


    On Tuesday 25 November, an individual was arrested in connection with illegal waste dumping at the Kidlington site. This marks a significant step forward in the investigation, which is being led by our colleagues in the National Environmental Crime Unit. We have issued a press release on the arrest, which can be read here: Individual arrested in connection with Kidlington illegal waste dumping - GOV.UK(External link).


    We have been working with our partners to reduce the risk that the waste site poses to the River Cherwell.

    This week (25 November), construction began on a barrier designed to prevent any potential movement of waste from the site towards the river and unauthorised access to the active crime scene. Fencing was installed along a 150-metre stretch of the waste pile, and jumbo sandbags were placed between the waste and the river. Construction was completed today (Friday 28 November), and the barrier is now in place.

    While the current risk of the waste entering the river is very low, the barrier has been installed as a precaution to protect both the environment and public safety in the event of rising river levels or flooding.

    As well as the barrier, we have installed a boom at the end of the ditch to help prevent waste material flowing downstream. We are actively sampling and monitoring the site and other locations on the river.

    We have published a blog on the Environment Agency website giving more details about what we are doing to tackle the issue and answering the concerns people have raised about this incident. You can read the blog post here: Update: Progress on managing the Kidlington illegal waste site – Creating a better place.

    Please do not enter the site. We have seen reports on social media and in the media of people climbing on the waste and entering the site illegally. It is dangerous to climb on the waste, you are putting yourself at risk and compromising the criminal investigation, which is a criminal offence.

    We will share regular updates via social media, our blog and on this Engagement HQ page, so people can follow progress without visiting the site.

Page last updated: 02 Dec 2025, 04:31 PM