Agency set for blitz on illegal waste sites

The coordinated action is part of an ongoing blitz on illegal waste sites being carried by the Environment Agencys dedicated Taskforce, which was set up in 2011 and supported by around 5 million of funding (see letsrecycle.com story).

Codenamed Operation Cyclone, it follows a similar day of activity in March 2013, where over 100 Agency officers visited 60 suspected illegal waste sites nationwide (see letsrecycle.com story) and is being carried out in conjunction with Police, the Road Haulage Association, Association of British Insurers, Vehicle and Operator Service Agency and Crimestoppers.

Steve Townhill, Environment Agency taskforce manager, said: Waste crime undermines legitimate business, can cause harm to environment and misery for local people.

We will continue to work with our enforcement partners to combine our powers to disrupt illegal waste activity. We urge anyone with information about illegal waste activity to contact our hotline 0800 807060 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Guidance

The Agency will also be providing advice and guidance to site operators to ensure waste is handled correctly and to bring illegal waste sites into compliance.

Rodger Holden from Crimestoppers, said: We have worked alongside the Environment Agency since 2011 and this relationship has been key to eliminating waste crime that can have a huge effect on peoples lives.

Through this partnership we have been able to engage with the agency and discover what issues are affecting our environment, while they have been able to call on our expertise to tackle these problems and our call to action, encouraging people to pass on information about waste crime, completely anonymously.

The Environment Agency issued 139 formal cautions relating to waste crime in 2011-2012. Almost 300 successful prosecutions resulted in total fines in excess of 1.6 million – the highest fine being for 100,000.

Mike Moore of the Road Haulage Association, said: RHA members fully support the aims of the Taskforce, in particular the assistance available to legitimate business in levelling the playing field against those who continue to flout the waste carrying and disposal laws and we will continue to support the Environment Agency in its efforts.