Agency sting traps drivers in illegal ELV de-pollution

The joint operation, dubbed “Wagon Train”, was carried out in co-operation with the West Midlands Police on Thursday in the Nechells area of the city.

” This is a selfish practice geared at making a quick profit.“
– Cllr Neil Eustace, Birmingham CC
As well as Thursday's operation, which caught five drivers red-handed, a surveillance operation carried out just before Christmas caught 15 drivers in the act of puncturing fuel tanks, oil sumps and dumping tyres before dropping off their end-of-life vehicles.

The drivers were intercepted by police motorbikes when they were driving away from the site and interviewed by officers from the council’s Regulatory Services team and Environment Agency’s Environment Management Team.

Irresponsible
Commenting after the operation, the Agency’s environment manager for Birmingham, Sue Stocks, said: “The behaviour of the people caught today was highly irresponsible and I hope the actions we will take as a result of the operation will be a warning to anyone thinking they can do the same and get away with it.’

The dumping of the hazardous materials was carried out because the last owners would make less money if a vehicle still had tyres as well as oil and fuel in its tanks, the Agency said. New rules on end of life vehicles mean they must have hazardous materials removed so that recycling residues can be sent to non-hazardous landfills for disposal.

Councillor Neil Eustace, chair of public protection at Birmingham, said: “This is a selfish practice geared at making a quick profit and the offending drivers clearly have no respect whatsoever for the environment or members of the community.”

Charges
The drivers caught in operation Wagon Train could now face charges under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, governing illegal tipping of waste; Section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991 of the Water Resources Act 1991, governing the pollution of watercourses; and Section 1(1)(5) of the Control of Pollution Act, governing the carrying of waste in the course of business when unregistered.

Each year 34,000 tonnes of dumped waste are collected in the City of Birmingham. The Agency said nationally, it is estimated that this illegal activity is costing the country in the region of 150 million a year.