An environmental lawyer is facing a possible prosecution after helping organize a volunteer effort that removed more than 200 bags of trash from a polluted East London river.
Paul Powlesland, 40, worked with volunteers from the River Roding Trust to clean a section of Alders Brook, spending 10 days removing litter, debris, weeds, and sediment after claiming repeated requests for official action had gone unanswered.
The cleanup removed large amounts of waste, including discarded packaging, needles, household appliances, and other debris. However, the Environment Agency later informed Powlesland that it was investigating whether the work was carried out without the required environmental permits.
Officials allege that excavation work may have taken place and that waste materials were left within a floodplain, potentially violating environmental regulations. Such offenses can carry penalties of up to two years in prison.
Powlesland has criticized the investigation, arguing that authorities are targeting volunteers who improved the river rather than focusing on sewage pollution and illegal dumping affecting the waterway.
He says the cleanup has already had a positive impact, with wildlife beginning to return to the restored section of the river.
The Environment Agency said no decision has been made on prosecution and emphasized that permits and expert oversight are important to ensure environmental projects do not create unintended risks to waterways, flooding, or local ecosystems.