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We're thrilled to have won the Society of Editors Media Freedom Award 2025 for environment journalism! Our investigation into the millions of UK tyres being dumped in India - and boiled in highly dangerous conditions - with our ace BBC co-reporters had widespread impact.

A tip-off led us to uncover one of Britain’s most overlooked environmental scandals: UK tyre exports ending up in illegal pyrolysis plants burning rubber to produce toxic oil. India had banned imports in 2022, yet our analysis of trade data showed shipments continued to surge.

Working with a whistleblower and the BBC, we followed GPS trackers placed in UK tyre shipments, tracing them to illegal Indian plants. Documents falsely listed destinations, and UK tyres were even found openly traded on Facebook.

Undercover calls revealed exporters evading recycling rules. We collaborated with local journalists to film poisoned water, sick animals, and villagers suffering respiratory illnesses. Drone footage captured scorched landscapes; one explosion had killed mothers and children.

The investigation prompted the Environment Agency to launch a full review admitting UK tyres were being illegally diverted, with new oversight reforms starting October 1. MPs cited the findings in Parliament, a judicial review began, and Maharashtra’s government shut eight plants.