The government has introduced new rules for waste sites across England, stating that criminals will have 'nowhere to hide' under the scheme.
The 12,000 permitted waste drop-off sites in England will now need to record information on what they receive, including the details of the waste carrier and the codes describing the type of rubbish being dumped, in near real time.
Digital audit trail
The government hopes the scheme will be the first step in a digital audit trail, designed to replace the paper-based system, which has drawn criticism. Criminals were able to falsify documents and bury evidence of illegal dumping through the paper-based system.
Waste collectors will be included in a further rollout of the system planned for spring 2027.
Waste crime crackdown
Waste generated by households or industrial sites is supposed to be picked up by licensed carriers, who are then meant to take it to official sites for proper disposal. However, there has been rising concern over criminal gangs exploiting the system, running illegal tips and dumping rubbish illegally for profit.
Once fully implemented, Environment Agency investigators will be able to identify discrepancies between reported collections and receipts through the new scheme. They can also target operators suspected of illegal dumping, mislabelling waste or handling it illegally, officials said.
Official response
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: “Waste criminals used to exploit the gaps but now they will have nowhere to hide. We are backing the communities whose lives have been blighted by this disgusting crime.
“Through this new service, real-time information will mean faster enforcement and more evidence to catch rogue operators and shut them down at every part of the waste journey.”
The Environment Secretary will chair a new Waste Crime Crackdown Group, which will also bring regulators and law enforcement together to dismantle criminal operations.
The Prime Minister noted when the rules were announced: "We should be getting in much earlier, apprehending them, using all of the intelligence that comes through that investigation to make sure the polluter pays."
Recent weeks have seen the government and Environment Agency take action against waste. In August, five people were arrested for illegally dumping waste at the Bolton House Road site in Wigan.
