Environment Agency tackled illegal waste activity on 70% more sites in 2012/13

The Environment Agency stopped illegal waste activity on 1,279 sites – the equivalent of 25 times every week – during 2012/13, it has been revealed.

According to the agency’s Waste Crime Report 2012/13, the number of sites where illegal activity was stopped was up 70% on the previous year.

Of the 1,279 sites, the agency closed down 1,100, helped 58 to move into legal compliance and get the right permit, and granted 121 an exemption to operate.

The rise has been attributed in part to the EA’s decision to set up – for a two-year period – an Illegal Waste Sites Taskforce, in which the regulator has invested nearly £5m over the past 18 months.

The report, which can be viewed here, said the agency had dealt with 107 large, serious and organised incidents of waste dumping.

The agency said: “Some of the major crimes stopped this year include illegal exports, serious dumping incidents and illegal waste sites where waste is burnt or and buried with no environmental safeguards in place.

“Illegal waste sites can cause misery for local communities with infestations of flies, acrid smoke and ugly piles of waste affecting homes and quality of life. They can also lead to serious pollution incidents.”

During 2012/13 the agency made 171 successful prosecutions and issued 62 formal cautions. This was down from 249 and 99 the previous year.

More than £1.3m was confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act, down from £2.2m in 2011/12. The agency said the reduction in the number of confiscation orders (from 26 to 12) reflected its new advice and guidance approach and the reduction in prosecutions.

The agency claimed that most illegal waste sites were now shut down within 12 months.

However, it acknowledged more needed to be done, notably in relation to construction and demolition waste. This accounts for over 25% of illegal waste sites and 23% of large-scale illegal waste dumping incidents.

Ed Mitchell, Director of Environment and Business at the Environment Agency, said: “Waste crime puts people and the environment at risk, and undermines the legitimate waste industry. We are taking tough action to deal with this problem, through the improved use of intelligence and stronger partnerships with the police and other enforcement bodies.

“The two year Illegal Waste Sites Taskforce has been hugely successful in slashing the number of illegal waste sites operating in England.”