Eco-champion King Charles criticised for silence over rubbish piling up

King Charles is facing an unwelcome headache in Greater Manchester. 

More than 25,000 tonnes of rubbish are reportedly stacked high at a landfill site in Bickershaw, near Wigan, with the sprawling dump sitting alarmingly close to houses and schools. 

Heavy machinery has been seen shifting waste around the site, including onto land linked to the Duchy of Lancaster, the historic estate that provides income for the monarch.

Locals say frustration has been mounting for months. Residents claim they were told by the Environment Agency that a large-scale criminal investigation is underway. 

Now, a petition urging the King to intervene and ensure the site is cleared has gathered more than 20,000 signatures.

The Duchy has indicated it would be willing to transfer its portion of the land to Wigan Council but maintains it is not responsible for removing the waste. 

While Duchy representatives state that only around 30 per cent of the affected area falls under its ownership, the Environment Agency has described it as holding the “majority parcel” of the site.

Josh Simmons, MP for Makerfield and a Cabinet Office minister, has publicly acknowledged residents’ anger, suggesting the Duchy appears to be avoiding accountability. 

He has argued that the King has a moral duty to help resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, Baroness Sheehan, who chairs the House of Lords Environment Committee, described it as shocking and intolerable for those living nearby.