Raids carried out on suspected electrical waste exporters

Environment Agency officers have carried out raids on two premises in east London and Essex in a bid to clamp down on the illegal export of electrical waste.

More than 100 personnel took part in the operation, which was supported by local police forces.

Officers questioned around 50 people, before searching storage and shipping units, with several found to contain electronic equipment such as old televisions and radios.

National enforcement service project manager Chris Smith said the majority of the goods are being stripped down for raw materials and shipped to Africa.

"But the law is clear - electrical waste must be recycled in the UK, not sent to developing countries in Africa where unsafe dismantling puts human health and the environment at risk," he explained.

According to government figures, around six million electrical items are discarded in the UK every year – generating enough waste to fill Wembley Stadium six times over.