Crap TownsBritain's towns, rated by the people stuck in them

Crap Towns / Birmingham / Pollution incidents

How often does Birmingham get polluted?

61 serious pollution incidents have been recorded in Birmingham or within 1 km of it since 2016, the 3rd most of the 948 English towns that have had one. 5 were major, the worst kind. The most recent came in April 2026 and put waste oil and smoke on the land and in the air. Dust turned up in 10 of them.

The incidents
WhenWhatWhereImpact
April 2026Waste oil and smokeOn the land and in the airSignificant
June 2025Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
May 2025DustIn the airSignificant
April 2025DustIn the airSignificant
March 2025DustIn the airSignificant
August 2024DustIn the airSignificant
July 2024SmokeIn the airSignificant
July 2024OdourIn the airSignificant
June 2024OdourIn the airSignificant
June 2024DustIn the airSignificant
May 2024Suspended solidsIn the waterSignificant
May 2024OdourIn the airSignificant
April 2024DustIn the airSignificant
January 2024Inert material or wasteIn the waterMajor
September 2023MicrobiologicalIn the waterSignificant
September 2023Natural ochreIn the waterSignificant
September 2023DustOn the land and in the airSignificant
September 2023Grey waterIn the airMajor
June 2023An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
June 2023Dust and general biodegradable material or wasteIn the airSignificant
April 2023OdourIn the airSignificant
January 2023An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
November 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
November 2022Soil and clayIn the waterSignificant
October 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
September 2022Chemical odourIn the airSignificant
September 2022NoiseIn the airSignificant
September 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
August 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
August 2022DustOn the land and in the airSignificant
July 2022DustIn the airSignificant
July 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
June 2022SmokeIn the airSignificant
June 2022OdourIn the airSignificant
April 2022Sulphide odourIn the airSignificant
January 2022Soil and clayIn the waterSignificant
January 2022An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
October 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
October 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
September 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
August 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
July 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
June 2021Atmospheric pollutant or effectIn the airSignificant
May 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
April 2021NoiseIn the airSignificant
March 2021Firefighting run-offIn the airSignificant
September 2019MicrobiologicalIn the waterSignificant
September 2018Radioactive materialOn the landSignificant
August 2018Sewage materialIn the waterSignificant
June 2018An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
June 2018An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
March 2018Atmospheric pollutant or effect and smokeIn the airMajor
February 2018NoiseIn the airSignificant
February 2018Diesel and suspended solidsIn the waterSignificant
December 2017Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
August 2017An unidentified pollutantIn the waterSignificant
November 2016SmokeIn the airSignificant
July 2016An unidentified pollutantIn the waterMajor
April 2016DieselOn the landSignificant
March 2016Firefighting run-off and smokeIn the airMajor
January 2016Commercial wasteOn the landSignificant
Nearby towns
TownDistanceSerious incidents since 2016
Birmingham–61
West Bromwich10.3 km16
Smethwick7.6 km12
Solihull8.8 km8
Oldbury10.6 km4
Blackheath12.2 km1
Coleshill11.6 km1
Pheasey9.3 km1
Royal Sutton Coldfield10.1 km1