Councils are set to team up with police forces to identify, seize, and destroy vehicles used by waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV units will be deployed to track down cars and vans linked to fly-tipping, which will then be crushed. Reports Contract Journal
Bureaucratic hurdles that previously prevented councils from impounding and scrapping vehicles will be lifted, and illegal waste operators could now face prison sentences of up to five years.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.
“That ends today. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.”
Since 2018/19, fly-tipping incidents have surged by 20%, while prosecutions have dropped by the same margin.
In a further crackdown, the Environment Agency will begin conducting ID and criminal background checks on waste sector operators, ensuring rogue firms can no longer hide in the system.
Philip Duffy, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said: “Waste crime is toxic. Criminals’ thoughtless actions harm people, places, and the economy, blighting our communities and disrupting legitimate businesses.
“At the Environment Agency, we’re determined to bring these criminals to justice through tough enforcement action and prosecutions.”
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