Crackdown on fly-tippers with environment officers set for police-style powers

Ministers are looking at handing the Environment Agency and its enforcement officers powers to hit criminals behind illegal waste where it hurts by disrupting their finances

Waste criminals are facing a tough crackdown as the government moves to stamp out the organised gangs responsible for dumping rubbish.

Ministers are looking at handing the Environment Agency and its enforcement officers new powers, allowing them to hit criminals behind illegal waste where it hurts by disrupting their finances.

This would be through expanding their powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) as well as the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) and other legislation to the Environment Agency and its enforcement officers.

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The move would make the Environment Agency one of a few organisations with these powers, and comes as the government prepares to publish its new “Waste Crime Action Plan”, which will set out a hardline approach to crimes like fly-tipping to large illegal waste sites.

It follows the announcement fly-tippers could face the prospect of points on their licence if caught illegally dumping waste out of their cars.

The Government is also urging councils to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers in new action to tackle the problem.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “Waste crime is a disgrace. It blights our countryside and communities, damaging our environment and economy.

“That is why we are taking decisive action. We’re giving the Environment Agency the police-like powers they need to stop waste criminals in their tracks and bring those responsible swiftly to justice.”

The government is also exploring how enforcement bodies can share information with banks and finance companies to inform them of waste crime, so they can decide whether to keep doing business with the waste criminals.

Chief Executive of the Environment Agency Philip Duffy said: “Waste crime causes misery across communities, and we have significantly stepped up our response to it already. But we are not standing still.

“While having more boots on the ground is important in tackling these criminal networks, we also need to make sure our officers have as many powers as possible to bring them down.

“But we can’t do this on our own. We are working closely with the police and local government. And we need the eyes and ears of the public to report potential dumping through Crimestoppers or our incident hotline. Working together, we can drive criminals out of our waste sector.”