Businesses are being urged to back the Environment
Agency's crackdown on waste crime as a major new report reveals
a three fold increase in prosecutions.
The new annual waste crime report "Cracking down on waste
crime" reveals 16 people were handed custodial sentences for
committing waste crimes last year, while the total fines increased
by nearly £800,000 to £1.7 million.
The Environment Agency ("EA"), spent £17.4
million tackling waste crime in 2011-2012. An additional £5
million was invested to provide a new dedicated illegal waste sites
taskforce funded by Defra.
With such a focus on illegal waste activities it is vital that
businesses understand the work being undertaken by the EA and what
steps they should be taking to avoid being suspected of breaching
their obligations and being caught in a lengthy and costly criminal
investigation.
