UK Government cracks down on waste crime

The UK Government plans new stricter regulations to tackle waste crime, and weed out the rogue operators.

Two new consultations by the UK Government propose stricter background checks and waste tracking to prevent fly-tipping and illegal waste exports. The plans aim to increase background checks for waste firms and to give regulators more power to act against waste criminals – making it harder for unregistered traders to operate.

Mandatory digital waste tracking will also be introduced under the Environment Act to reform record keeping. Waste handlers would need to record when waste is created to when it is disposed, recycled or reused.

Sarah Poulter, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM) says, ‘The launch of these consultations provides a valuable opportunity for the UK waste and resource management sector to influence its future direction and help eradicate practices which have tarnished its reputation and deterred much needed investment.’

Regulators will be better able to tackle fly-tipping, illegal waste sites and exports. These crimes damage the environment, are a risk to people’s health and a problem for communities. In 2018/19 waste crime cost England £924 million and local authorities dealt with 1.3 million incidents of fly-tipping.

The Environment Agency has had powers to close-down waste sites that are an environmental risk and force those liable to clean them up since 2014.