Hosted by resources minister Dan Rogerson and senior members of Defra’s waste team, joined by the Environment Agency and Treasury minister Priti Patel, the meeting was intended to provide an update on the joint Defra and Agency Waste Crime Action Plan outlined in September (see letsrecycle.com story).
The ministers confirmed that the £5 million of funding pledged in the government’s Spring Budget to tackle waste crime had been made available to the Agency, but were unable to provide any assurances over the allocation of future funds.
Defra officials also outlined some of the proposals likely to be included in a planned consultation on new regulations, which would make it easier for the Environment Agency to prosecute perpetrators of waste crime.
These include giving the Environment Agency greater powers to suspend licences of sites that are operating outside of the law, and increased intervention at poor performing sites which are thought to be at risk of non-compliance.
Defra is also looking to consider new laws to allow the Environment Agency to re-charge waste sites for the clean up costs of illegal sites, similar to the way in which water polluters are made to pay for pollution.
Consultation
It is expected that a consultation on the measures will be launched before the General Election, although Defra is continuing to assess the impact of any new measures on existing regulations.
Commenting after the meeting Mr Rogerson, said: “Waste crime blights communities and we support the Environment Agency in taking swift, tough enforcement action against those who flout the law or operate to poor standards.
“We have made an extra £5m available to help tackle waste crime, supported new sentencing guidelines for the courts reflecting the seriousness of these offences and developed a Waste Crime Action Plan that is bringing about increased enforcement, making those responsible pay, as well as widening the Environment Agency’s powers to act.
“Industry have a crucial role to play which is why I called a meeting today with them and other key stakeholders to discuss our progress to date and potential next steps so we can continue to work together in driving down waste crime.”
‘Positive’
Sam Corp, head of regulation at the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and who was present at the meeting, commented: “The meeting with the minister Dan Rogerson was very positive, and gave an insight into the government’s plans to tackle waste crime, illegal activity, and the impact that it is having on the legitimate resource management industry.
“It is encouraging that there does now appear to be a genuine desire by government and other stakeholders to tackle this issue. It is vital, however, that the momentum that has been generated, not least by the ESAET Report ‘Waste Crime: Britain’s Dirty Secret’, is maintained. ESA has committed its support wherever possible and we look forward to hearing more detail regarding the government’s proposals in the coming weeks.”
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