The action was taken as part of a multi-agency day of action that the local authority said formed an “integral part” of its environmental crime partnership.
The partnership tackles environmental crimes through collaboration between North East Lincolnshire council, Humberside Police, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, HMRC, Trading Standards, the Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority and other local authorities.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, North East Lincolnshire’s portfolio holder for environment and transport, said: “Our main objective for the action was to crackdown on environmental crimes, but by working closely with other agencies in the environmental crime partnership, we can target a wider variety of offences.
“Whilst our officers check that people are transferring and disposing of their waste lawfully, other organisations are checking to make sure that drivers and vehicles are operating safely and lawfully on the roads.”
During the operation, mobile police patrols identified commercial vehicles suspected of carrying waste without the correct licence.
The police escorted suspect vehicles to a lorry park on King’s Road, Immingham, where partner agency officers conducted a series of inspections relating to waste carrier licences, the roadworthiness of the vehicles, road traffic act contraventions, fuel tax evasion, pollution control, licensing, modern day slavery and rogue trader activity.
Visible deterrent
Officers inspected 14 vehicles in total, the council says, which resulted in the reporting of the five drivers for unlawfully transporting controlled waste, while another driver who produced an invalid waste carrier licence will be invited for an interview under caution.
The operation has given us and our partners the opportunity to focus our collective efforts in one place
– Inspector Tom Stevens, neighbourhood policing commander for Immingham
Drivers found to be transferring waste must produce the correct waste carrier paperwork within 14 days or face fines of up to £300, North East Lincolnshire says.
Inspector Tom Stevens, neighbourhood policing commander for the area, said: “The operation has given us and our partners the opportunity to focus our collective efforts in one place.
“With the help of North East Lincolnshire council, the DVSA and HMRC, we have been able to tackle a range of concerns and offences – as has been seen in the results.
“The benefits of joint operations like this with our partners not only gets immediate results [sic], but also acts as a visible deterrent.”
Representing an estimated population of nearly 160,000, North East Lincolnshire council had a household waste recycling rate of 35.5% in the 2020/21 financial year.
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