Varun Datta Ordered to Pay £1.4 Million After Illegally Dumping Over 4,000 Tonnes of Waste Across England Including Peterborough Surrey and Kent

A shocking case of environmental crime has come to a close, with Varun Datta, 36, being ordered to pay £1.4 million for illegally dumping over 4,000 tonnes of waste across England.

Datta, who ran Atkins Recycling Ltd, had been a registered waste broker since 2015, but instead of sending the waste to legitimate disposal sites, he diverted it to illegal dumps nationwide.

The total waste dumped, around 4,275 tonnes, is roughly equivalent to the weight of 600 African elephants, highlighting the scale of the crime.

Illegal Dumping Sites Spanned the Country

An investigation by the Environment Agency uncovered a network of 16 illegal sites stretching from the South East to the North West.

Some of the locations included a farm near Peterborough, a manor house in Ewhurst, Surrey, and a warehouse in Margate, Kent.

None of the sites had the necessary environmental permits or exemptions, and the dumped waste caused a “localised adverse effect to air quality,” according to the judge.

Judge Paul Farrah KC described the offences as “reckless,” noting that some sites were plagued with smell and flies, forcing landowners to bear substantial clean-up costs.

Sentencing and Financial Penalties

Datta was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months, along with 200 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation.

Financial penalties include £1.1 million reflecting his profits from the crime, £100,000 in compensation, and £200,000 in prosecution costs.

The £100,000 compensation is divided between Middlesbrough Council (£70,000) to cover clean-up costs at the former Sulzer Dowding Mills Factory site, and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust (£30,000) for managing Middleton Nature Reserve.

Associates and Additional Prosecutions

The court also heard that Sandeep Golechha, 55, assisted Datta in falsifying weighbridge documents to conceal the illegal dumping.

Two others were also prosecuted: Mohammed Saraji Bashir, who received a suspended prison sentence, unpaid work, and rehabilitation, and Robert McAllister, who was fined £750.

Warrants remain active for the arrest of two additional men involved.

Previous Investigations and Legal Steps

Datta initially denied the charges in 2023 but later pleaded guilty in June 2025 to knowingly depositing controlled waste at multiple illegal sites.

The Environment Agency had previously seized £131,520 from his home in 2018 and applied restraint orders on two bank accounts in 2022 to ensure funds could be recovered.

Government and Environmental Response

Emma Viner, Enforcement and Investigations Manager at the Environment Agency, praised the investigation, saying: “We will never stop fighting to end the scourge of waste crime which scars our environment and communities.”

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds called the crimes “shocking” and welcomed the punishments, emphasizing that the government is committed to cracking down on waste crime through tougher checks, stronger penalties, and increased funding.

What’s Next?

Authorities will continue monitoring the remaining suspects still at large.

The Environment Agency is also expected to enhance enforcement measures, preventing similar illegal dumping schemes and ensuring responsible disposal of waste across the country.

Landowners and wildlife trusts will receive ongoing support to manage the affected sites.

Summary

Varun Datta, 36, of London and owner of Atkins Recycling Ltd, has been ordered to pay £1.4 million for illegally dumping 4,275 tonnes of waste at 16 sites across England, including Peterborough, Surrey, Kent, Lancashire, and Middlesbrough.

He received a suspended four-month prison sentence, unpaid work, and rehabilitation.

Associates were also prosecuted, with two still wanted by police.

The Environment Agency and government officials emphasized the importance of tackling waste crime and protecting the environment.