Environment Agency warns that just 27% of waste crime is reported

The finding comes in the National Waste Crime Survey 2025, which was released this morning (23 July 2025).

It also found that only 12% of landowners and farmers reported the most recent incidents of waste crime on their land, despite 57% being affected by the criminal activity.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency deputy director for waste and resources regulation, said: “Waste criminals’ toxic crimes cause widespread and significant harm to people, places and the economy. The Environment Agency is determined to use all our powers and resources to stop waste criminals, but we cannot achieve this alone.

“Our survey shows almost three quarters of waste offences go unreported, so we urge industry and the public to help us stop waste criminals faster by sharing what they know about the people carrying out these heinous crimes.”

Conducted in February, the survey is used to help better understand the nature and scale of waste crime, as perceived by those who experience it.

Respondents estimated that 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed at some point in the supply chain.

The survey also aimed to estimate the financial burden of waste crime, with 52% of respondents saying they experience losses exceeding £50,000 due to illegal waste sites, 44% from illegal waste exports, and 32% from large-scale fly-tipping.

Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation.

Circular economy minister Mary Creagh said: “Through our Plan for Change, this government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.

“With the shocking scale of this challenge revealed today, we are tightening the net on the organised crime groups who exploit our broken waste system.

“We will not stand and watch while our countryside is polluted by criminals who undercut decent businesses.”

Organised waste crime

The survey also found that an estimated 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, attracted by financial gains.

The EA said that networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means.

Last year, three men were convicted following a major EA investigation into large-scale illegal deposits of more than 26,000 tonnes of waste at 17 sites across the country.

Sam Corp, head of regulation at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), added:

“With more than half of British landowners now reporting that they have fallen victim to the illegal dumping of waste, the survey findings are further evidence of the waste crime epidemic facing the UK, much of which is perpetrated by organised crime groups.

“It is essential that we all exercise our duty of care to ensure waste does not fall into criminal hands and that, across society, we report all waste crime when we see it to help the authorities identify and stop the culprits.”

The EA called on landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.