The initiative, outlined in the Autumn Budget, will see the Agency work with partners to clear “the worst abandoned waste sites that blight local communities”.
‘Dangerous’
Speaking ahead of the publication of the Budget yesterday, Mr Hammond said: “At this budget I take further action with a package of measures set out in the red book to ensure that we leave our environment in a better state than we inherited it.
“The Shadow Chancellor’s recent accident has reminded us all how dangerous abandoned waste can be, so I will provide £10 million to deal with abandoned waste sites.”
Mr Hammond is understood to be referring to an incident where shadow chancellor John McDonnell is reported to have tripped over rubbish in the dark outside of his London home.
Waste crime
According to a recent statement from the Environment Agency, waste crime costs the economy £604 million a year.
And, abandoned waste sites have previously been identified as an issue by both the Agency and trade body the Environmental Services Association (ESA).
Abandoned waste at sites where the operator cannot afford to move the waste or has gone into administration is “growing threat both to the environment and also to the reputation of our industry,” ESA said in 2017.
In a joint statement last year (see letsrecycle.com story), the Environment Agency and ESA announced a partnership and were working towards measures regarding the financial status of businesses who may abandon waste.
CIWM
The news on the pilot is expected to be warmly welcomed by the waste management industry. Following the publication of the Budget yesterday, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) issued a statement and “welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement of £10 million to tackle abandoned waste sites.”
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