Lincolnshire officials welcome Environment Secretary's new Waste Crime Crackdown Group

The net is closing on the criminal gangs behind illegal dumping, as Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle announced plans that bring police, regulators and local leaders together to step up enforcement against waste crime.

The new Waste Crime Crackdown Group is expected to identify weaknesses in the waste system that criminals exploit and removing obstacles to shutting down the organised waste crime groups.

The government says huge illegal waste sites are a stark example of what happens when enforcement fails and criminals are allowed to exploit weakness in the system, leaving communities to pay the price.

The Prime Minister says this must be reversed, with a crackdown on criminal activity to ensure the waste system works for the communities it is supposed to serve.

The Waste Crime Crackdown Group includes representatives from 16 organisations including the Environment Agency, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, Mayors, the Local Government Association, industry groups and government departments.

At the first meeting of the crackdown group, members will discuss ramping up enforcement against the gangs profiting from illegal dumping and improving how they share intelligence. The Secretary of State will ask the group to examine where enforcement powers can go further to leave no stone unturned in shutting down criminal organisations.

Enforcement is already getting tougher, as since April this year already 36 arrests have been made, with prosecutions, investigations and raids taking place across the country.

EA officers are using more drones to hunt down criminals, while Mayors are being given a bigger role in tackling waste crime in their area and fines have increased for those who dump illegally.

Two major illegal sites in the UK have also been completely cleared and police have arrested suspects while investigations continue.

Ayeisha Kirkham, chair of the Lincolnshire Environmental Crime Partnership, said: “The partnership welcomes further action to tackle waste crime and disrupt the organised criminal networks responsible for illegal waste activity.

"Waste crime has a significant impact on our communities, countryside and environment. Continued partnership working, intelligence sharing and effective enforcement are vital to preventing criminal activity, protecting communities and ensuring those responsible are held to account.”

Environment Secretary, Dame Angela Eagle said: “For too long communities have been left to live with the consequences of waste crime.

“Our tougher enforcement is already showing results with arrests ramping up. But these are organised criminals and we must keep up the pressure to disrupt their operations.

“The new Waste Crime Crackdown Group brings police and industry leaders together to share intelligence and close every loophole. Our message to criminals is clear: we're closing in."

Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: “Getting organised criminals out of our waste system needs everyone to work together: police, regulators and local government. By sharing more intelligence, we can stop criminals getting their hands on waste in the first place.

"In recent months we have toughened our approach and it's paying off already, with more than 30 arrests, assets seized and permits stripped from unscrupulous operators.

"With loopholes tightened, new powers and financial support from the Government, we are working closely through this Group to make a real difference to communities affected by waste crime."

The government has taken significant action, such as:

• ensuring rogue actors who dump waste illegally or fail to treat it correctly face fines of up to £5,000.

• planning to give Environment Agency powers to confiscate cash, cars, houses and other assets bought with the proceeds of waste crime.

• tightening Waste Permit Exemptions so only low-risk waste activities can benefit.

Work continues to clear some of the country's other illegal waste sites.