Taxpayers to fund clear-up of illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent

Hundreds of illegal waste sites have been reported across England, including 11 ‘supersites’ which contain more than 20,000 tonnes of rubbish. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Guardian

Illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent will be cleared up using taxpayer money, Andy Burnham has announced, as the prime minister promises a new drive to tackle toxic waste.

Ministers have identified dumps in Bradford, Runnymede and the Isle of Sheppey, which collectively contain about 22,000 tonnes of illegal waste, to be cleared in the next phase of the government’s national clear-up effort.