Kent: Criminal gangs ruining environment, says watchdog

Government figures suggest illegal waste tipping costs the country 1bn a year.

Environment Agency: Criminals using waste industry to launder money and fuel other illegal activities.

EA says it is working with local authorities and police to bring those responsible to justice.

Industry experts say investigators are "playing whack-a-mole" as soon as they close down one illegal site, another one appears.

All Skips Ltd was taken over by Taylor James McQuade three days before we filmed the lorry arriving and leaving the site.

The site does not have any form of planning permission from the local planning authorities.

The Environment Agency is investigating a number of illegal waste sites across Kent .

A fifth of all waste produced in England may be illegally managed, a report says.

There are checks that I can carry out online to find out if the company I choose has a waste carrier's licence, but waste can go through a chain of other handlers for processing and government figures suggest nearly 20% of all waste operators are thought to engage in illegal activity. Andrew Higham , former head of the EA 's National Environmental Crime Team , said: "If you've picked a waste carrier, a skip company off the internet or wherever, it's extremely difficult for you to be assured that your waste will be disposed of in a legal manner.".