Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Dame Angela Eagle has pledged to tackle the organised criminal gangs responsible for illegal waste sites that are blighting communities across Britain.
The Labour Government’s new crackdown will bring together the police, National Crime Agency, Environment Agency, councils and regional mayors to identify and dismantle the criminal networks profiting from illegally dumped waste.
Eagle will chair a new Waste Crime Crackdown Group, bringing regulators, law enforcement agencies and the waste sector together to coordinate intelligence, prevent illegal dumping and pursue those responsible.
Writing on X, the Secretary of State said:
“This isn’t just about people dumping rubbish. Large-scale waste sites are often fuelled by serious organised crime.
“That’s why we’re stopping the cycle, driving faster prevention, better intelligence, and stronger coordination across the system.”
The Government’s measures will include greater use of drones, more Environment Agency officers working on the frontline and an expanded role for the police and National Crime Agency.
The Environment Agency will also receive greater capacity to trace and confiscate cash, vehicles, property and other assets purchased with the proceeds of waste crime.
Under the plans, those who dump waste illegally or fail to handle it correctly could face fines of up to £5,000, compared with the current maximum of £300. Serious offenders can already face prosecution and imprisonment.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said illegal waste sites had been allowed to damage communities for too long.
“The days of making easy money out of waste are over,” he said. “We will seize their assets and shut their operations down.”
Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire will become the first areas to introduce new region-led approaches to waste crime. Mayors and council leaders will coordinate the work of councils, police forces, regulators and other enforcement agencies, allowing decisions to be informed by local intelligence and the experiences of affected communities.
The Government will also fund the clearance of three major illegal waste sites at Power Station Road on the Isle of Sheppey, Aymer Close in Runnymede and Midland Road in Bradford, subject to feasibility assessments.
Together, the three sites contain approximately 22,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste and are estimated to be affecting around 2,900 families.
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin welcomed the announcement, warning that fly-tipping damages streets and green spaces, attracts anti-social behaviour and leaves taxpayers paying for the actions of criminals.
The measures form part of the Government’s wider Waste Crime Action Plan, combining the immediate clearance of dangerous sites with stronger enforcement, improved intelligence and greater cooperation between national and regional authorities.
