"Environment officers could soon be given police-like powers to search premises, seize assets and arrest individuals without a warrant. The new approach would allow officers to intervene earlier, bring more criminals to justice and hit the organised gangs behind illegal waste 'where it hurts' by disrupting their finances."
"'Waste crime is a disgrace,' Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said. 'It blights our countryside and communities, damaging our environment and economy. That is why we are taking decisive action. We're giving the Environment Agency the police-like powers they need to stop waste criminals in their tracks and bring those responsible swiftly to justice.'"
"Government figures show that between 2024 and 2025, councils in England dealt with 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents, of which 62 per cent involved household waste. During this time there were 122 prosecutions and 1,205 illegal waste sites were shut down."
The government is launching a comprehensive crackdown on waste crime through its new Waste Crime Action Plan. Environment officers will receive expanded powers under PACE and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022, enabling them to search premises, seize assets, and arrest individuals without warrants. Additional measures include penalty points on driving licenses for fly-tippers, vehicle seizure and crushing by councils, and information sharing between enforcement bodies and financial institutions. Recent data shows councils handled 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in 2024-2025, with 62% involving household waste. The initiative aims to disrupt organized waste crime gangs financially while bringing more criminals to justice.
#waste-crime-enforcement #fly-tipping-crackdown #environmental-protection #police-powers-expansion #organized-crime-disruption
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