Waste Crime

Southeast Asian communities flooded with plastic waste since China ban
Southeast Asian communities flooded with plastic waste since China ban

Communities in Southeast Asia have been flooded with plastic waste diverted from China following the introduction of the Chinese Government’s waste ban at the start of 2018, according to a new report.


The report by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and Greenpeace, entitled  ‘Discarded: Communities on the frontlines of the global plastic crisis’, brings the... More

Swindon waste dealer given six-year company ban
Swindon waste dealer given six-year company ban

A Swindon-based waste dealer has been handed a six-year ban from running limited companies after two of his enterprises were found to be in breach of environmental regulations.

A fire at an unpermitted site operated by Averies
Wiltshire waste site operator fined £200k for illegal operations

A Wiltshire-based man has been fined £200,000 for illegal waste operations at a number of waste sites, two of which were the locations of serious fires.

EA sting discovers 11 illegal waste sites in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire
EA sting discovers 11 illegal waste sites in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire
By
Rob Cole
| 11 March 2019 |
The one-day operation last Thursday (7 March) discovered six sites where waste had been burned, three where construction and demolition waste had been stored, one that contained household waste and one that was operating as a scrapyard.
Dsposal's Developer Georgios Rovolis, CEO Tom Passmore and COO Sophie Walker
Dsposal wins £80k government waste crime contract
By
Rob Cole
| 20 February 2019 |
Manchester-based compliance start-up Dsposal has been awarded a contract worth £80,000 to develop a smart waste tracking system to combat waste crime across the UK.
Waste criminal ordered to pay £1.3m for WEEE recycling fraud
Waste criminal ordered to pay £1.3m for WEEE recycling fraud
By
Rob Cole
| 8 February 2019 |
A convicted waste criminal has been ordered to pay £1.3 million for defrauding e-waste recycling schemes out of millions of pounds in a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Leeds Crown Court.
Gove raises prospect of waste stockpiling in the event of ‘no deal’ Brexit
Gove raises prospect of waste stockpiling in the event of ‘no deal’ Brexit
By
Rob Cole
| 29 January 2019 |
The Environment Secretary Michael Gove has outlined Defra’s preparations for the stockpiling of waste in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit in a letter to Lord Teverson, Chair of the European Union Energy and Environment Sub-Committee in the House of Lords.
Some of the baled RDF stored at the site near Royston Sewage Treatment Works
Company fined over £500k for illegally storing hazardous RDF
By
Kate Dickinson
| 29 January 2019 |
Hertfordshire-based Winters Haulage Limited, based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, has been handed a £510,000 fine for illegally storing thousands of tonnes of dangerous combustible waste.
New research shows vast extent of fly-tipping
New research shows vast extent of fly-tipping
By
Rob Cole
| 17 January 2019 |
New research from The Furniture Recycling Group (TFR Group) has revealed that 646,039 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in just five cities since 2013.
Householders could face £400 fine for fly-tipping
Householders could face £400 fine for fly-tipping
By
Kate Dickinson
| 8 January 2019 |
A new fixed penalty notice has come into force for householders who don’t use a licensed waste carrier and whose waste ends up being fly-tipped. 
It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!
It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!
By
Rob Cole
| 20 December 2018 |
Who across the waste and resources world has done enough to etch their name into the pantheon of greats as this year’s Legend of Waste? You can tell us now by voting in this year’s Hot 100.
Industry welcomes ‘bold and radical’ Resources and Waste Strategy
Industry welcomes ‘bold and radical’ Resources and Waste Strategy
By
Rob Cole
| 18 December 2018 |
Key stakeholders have largely welcomed the publication of the Resources and Waste Strategy by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), calling it a “blueprint for the future” and “bold and radical”, though some reservations remain.
Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions
Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions
By
Rob Cole
| 18 December 2018 |
Plans to introduce separate food waste collections to every household in England by 2023 and ensure producers pay for the costs of managing their waste packaging have been included in the long-awaited Resources and Waste Strategy.
SEPA plans to make Scotland’s metal sector go circular
SEPA plans to make Scotland’s metal sector go circular
By
Kate Nicholson
| 12 December 2018 |
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has devised a new sector plan to make Scotland’s metal sector part of the nation’s emerging circular economy.
Biffa launches £250,000 initiative to tackle construction waste crime
Biffa launches £250,000 initiative to tackle construction waste crime
By
Kate Nicholson
| 6 December 2018 |
Waste management provider, Biffa, has invested a quarter of a million pounds into a new initiative in an attempt to improve construction waste compliance across Yorkshire.
New fines proposed for householders to cut waste crime
New fines proposed for householders to cut waste crime
By
Kate Nicholson
| 26 November 2018 |
Following its public consultation on proposals to tackle waste crime, the government is considering introducing a new fixed penalty for householders failing their waste duty of care. 
Government review calls for new fines for mislabelling of waste
Government review calls for new fines for mislabelling of waste
By
Rob Cole
| 16 November 2018 |
The Environment Agency should be given the power to impose new fines on waste operators that deliberately mislabel their waste to avoid tax rules, according to an independent review ordered by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
Gove raids 400 staff from environment bodies for Defra Brexit preparations
Gove raids 400 staff from environment bodies for Defra Brexit preparations
By
Rob Cole
| 8 November 2018 |
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has been accused of having “raided” 400 staff from state environment bodies in order to plug gaps in Defra’s workforce in preparation for Brexit.
Autumn Statement: Plastics tax to be introduced from April 2022
Autumn Statement: Plastics tax to be introduced from April 2022
By
Rob Cole
| 30 October 2018 |
A tax will be placed on the manufacture and import of plastic packaging containing less than 30 per cent recycled plastic, the Treasury’s Autumn Statement has revealed, though a coffee cup levy will not be introduced.
EA to investigate waste plastics exports fraud
EA to investigate waste plastics exports fraud
By
Rob Cole
| 19 October 2018 |
An official investigation has been launched into claims of widespread fraud and system abuse in the plastics recycling industry, with significant discrepancies between the amount of plastic claimed for through the PRN system and the amount recorded as exported by HMRC.
Record fines handed out for waste crime, says EA report
Record fines handed out for waste crime, says EA report
By
Rob Cole
| 16 October 2018 |
A new report from the Environment Agency shows that 93 per cent of the businesses it regulated in 2017/18 showed good compliance with their environmental permits, while non-compliant businesses faced record fines.
Image: Flickr/Alan Shanton/Creative Commons
Extended sentence shows waste crime gets jail time
By
Kate Nicholson
| 10 October 2018 |
A jailed fly-tipper has his sentence extended after a further five allegations of waste crime came to light.
NHS waste backlog sees human body parts pile up
NHS waste backlog sees human body parts pile up
By
Kate Dickinson
| 5 October 2018 |
A waste disposal company is under investigation after it was found to have built up a backlog of hundreds of tonnes of medical waste, including human body parts.