Volunteer who helped clean up severely polluted creek now faces criminal investigation

A volunteer cleanup at a polluted creek near London has led to a criminal investigation rather than a thank you from the authorities

As The Guardian reported, an environmental lawyer involved in the effort says the case could even carry prison time.

What happened?

After helping coordinate a cleanup of Alders Brook on London's northeastern outskirts, environmental lawyer Paul Powlesland was put under formal investigation, the outlet reported. He organized the volunteer effort through the River Roding Trust.

This is the worst "strong support" I've ever received.

However, the malevolent uselessness of @EnvAgency is not limited to the recent incident on the Aldersbrook. Over the last 10 years I have been battling, along with hundreds of dedicated local volunteers, to protect &… https://t.co/25tqkaTgkf pic.twitter.com/LBGOWUWnNw

— Paul Powlesland (@paulpowlesland) June 21, 2026

A notice from the U.K. Environment Agency arrived after the 10-day effort, telling Powlesland he was being investigated for "permitting and waste offences," per The Guardian. The publication noted that he and the other volunteers had removed roughly 200 bags of garbage and organic debris from the brook.

"We consider that unpermitted works have taken place… in contravention of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016," the EA's letter said, according to The Guardian.

The central question seems to be whether the cleanup involved enough dredging to create flood-risk concerns. 

Why does it matter?

Communities are often encouraged to care for local ecosystems, reduce pollution, and protect wildlife, but when residents act where institutions have fallen short, they can still end up being punished.

Polluted waterways can worsen flooding, harm wildlife, spread contamination, and make nearby neighborhoods less healthy and less pleasant places to live.

Powlesland has said he turned to the work only after years of trying unsuccessfully to get authorities to act.

"After decades of ignoring rampant environmental crime on the Roding, the Environment Agency has finally decided to act," Powlesland stated to The Guardian. "But it's not action against Thames Water for dumping billions of litres of sewage in the Roding, or the waste criminals who have dumped thousands of tonnes of rubbish on its banks."

MyLondon reported Powlesland faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

What are people saying?

Powlesland reiterated that the cleanup is paying dividends for the river.

"The section of the river which was cleared is really coming back beautifully, wildlife is returning, yet we are being threatened with prosecution," he asserted to The Guardian. 

The EA defended itself in a statement given to the outlet.

"We deeply care about protecting the River Roding and will work with any partners who want to help improve the local environment," they wrote. "However, governance and expert advice is necessary to make sure that work does not cause unintended harm."

Powlesland, meanwhile, insisted to The Guardian that the EA was barking up the wrong tree.

"This seems to get to the nub of the problem with the EA," he told the paper. "They do not prosecute things that they should prosecute, and all they are doing is going after easy targets."

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