Do we really have a handle on the full extent of waste crime in
the UK?
Fly-tipping: There are some good examples of this increasingly
common type of waste crime being tackled by groups such as The
Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire (comprised of local district
and the county council) via its successful fly-tipping initiative.
The partnership was set up in 2003 and has achieved almost 600
convictions since then, the most recent being a fine for over
£1,800 for the unauthorised dumping of household waste.
However, this sort of strategic initiative is still fairly rare and
there are many instances of illegal disposal of waste which go
unpunished.
Landfill tax evasion: Recent statistics in England have revealed
a deficit equivalent to £18million between the reported
amount of material received at landfill sites and the payment of
landfill tax to HMRC. However, landfill tax evasion is difficult to
prove and even where the regulatory and tax agencies are
