DERELICT mills and terraced houses across East Lancashire are being filled with tyres and stuffed with bin bags.

That is the real picture of illegally dumped waste in the North West, according to the Environment Agency.

It wants to catch and prosecute the criminals whose sites are putting communities at risk and legitimate traders out of business, and is warning that penalties include up to five years in prison and unlimited fines.

A specialised team of officers are investigating 105 illegal waste sites in the North West including 74 in Lancashire and Cumbria.

By using an intelligence-led approach and analysing trends in the type and location of the sites the agency can identify serial offenders and bring them to justice.

It believes old cotton mills filled with used tyres are a theme in East Lancashire, with sites in Blackburn, Burnley and Nelson, as well as empty houses being used for waste storage in Burnley.

Gordon Whitaker, environment manager for the Environment Agency, said: “Illegal waste sites pose a threat to the health of the public, the environment and the economy.

“We have a committed team in the North West that is focused on identifying illegal waste sites and bringing about prosecutions where necessary to ensure the safe handling of waste in this region.”

The most common type of waste that is housed in illegal sites is construction and demolition waste, followed by household and business waste, old cars and vehicle parts, and tyres.

This type of crime affects legitimate waste disposal companies that are undercut by unregulated businesses with rock bottom prices.

Householders and businesses also have a duty of care to ensure that their waste is passed to registered waste carriers and ends up at licensed facilities.

Unregulated sites pose a risk to the public because of hazardous waste, pollution and the threat of fires.

The Environment Agency’s environmental crime team needs help in gathering information about suspected illegal waste sites.

If you have any information, contact the team on 0800 80 70 60, or message them on Twitter @envagencynw