WIREDGOV

Today, 18th June 2013, the Environment Agency works with Police, Road Haulage Association, Association of British Insurers, Vehicle and Operator Service Agency and Crimestoppers to crack down on waste crime.

Environment Agency officers were out in force today setting up stop and searches and visiting waste sites to stop illegal waste activity that undercuts legitimate business and blights local communities.

Serious waste crime is big business. There are currently in excess of 800 illegal waste sites operating throughout England & Wales.

Illegal waste sites can cause serious pollution incidents, bad smells, chemical spills, blight the landscape, and cause misery for surrounding communities.  Sites that covertly hold hazardous waste and chemicals without safeguards are breaking the law and risk causing serious pollution incidents that damage rivers, habitats and pose a risk to human health.

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.

The aim of the day of action, code name Operation Cyclone, is to disrupt the supply of waste to illegal waste sites, gather intelligence and encourage people to report waste crime either through our incident line: 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously through Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111. We will also be providing advice and guidance to ensure waste is handled correctly and to bring illegal waste sites into compliance.

The day of action comes as part of an ongoing blitz on criminal waste operations which began at the end of 2011, to identify and stop illegal waste sites.

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 80 70 60 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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 people’s 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.”

Mike Moore from 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.”

Environment Agency teams will be posting updates on twitter during the day using #WasteCrime

Photos will be available on flickr in the Operation Cyclone album: http://bit.ly/YFVEhl