A new crackdown on criminal waste operators will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas, the Government has announced.
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, is proudly welcoming the announcement after years of campaigning to tackle fly-tipping – a persistent blight on her community.
Despite widespread local frustration over illegal dumping and rogue waste operators, meaningful action has long been overdue. This move marks a significant victory for residents who have demanded tougher enforcement.
The plan will enable councils to work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.
Ministers have launched a rapid review to slash red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles. Councils currently have to bear the significant cost of seizing and storing vehicles but under new plans fly-tippers will cover this cost, saving councils and taxpayers money.
In addition, waste criminals will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally. Any criminals caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will now face up to five years in prison under new legislation.
Secretary of State for the 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 now. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.
“Under the Plan for Change, this Government will seize and crush fly-tippers vans’ to clean up Britain’s streets.”
These measures support the Government’s Plan for Change and will help deliver its key mission of Safer Streets for the public, restoring communities’ faith in efforts to combat anti-social behaviour.
Waste crime is trashing communities across the country. Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount since 2018/19. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.
The Environment Agency will also carry out identity and criminal record checks on operators in the sector so there is nowhere to hide for rogue firms.
It will be handed more resources as they will now be able to fund the cost of policing the industry through permits, boosting their powers and cutting costs for taxpayers. The reforms will also give them more power to revoke permits, issue enforcement notices and hefty fines.
Abena Oppong-Asare, Labour Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead said:
“I want to make Erith and Thamesmead one of the best places to grow up and grow old in, but fly-tipping is a major problem and has been ignored for too long by people who just don’t care.
“Residents around here are sick of our streets being plagued by discarded rubbish and waste and it is a disgrace that the Conservatives did nothing to tackle it. It’s gone unpunished for far too long.
“That’s why I’m standing up for change and welcoming the Labour Government’s fly-tipping crack down that will punish waste criminals, tackle the scourge of waste crime, and tell those who disrespect our area where to go.”
