Environment Agency to be given “police-like” powers to stop illegal fly-tipping

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the reform would allow the Environment Agency to use powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) as well as the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).

This would mean that officers could intervene earlier, bring more criminals to justice and hit the organised gangs behind illegal waste where it hurts by disrupting their finances, the Government has claimed.

It said that the reforms would be introduced "when parliamentary time allows".

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “Waste crime is a disgrace. It blights our countryside and communities, damaging our environment and economy. 

“That is why we are taking decisive action. We’re giving the Environment Agency the police-like powers they need to stop waste criminals in their tracks and bring those responsible swiftly to justice.”

Chief Executive of the Environment Agency Philip Duffy added: “While having more boots on the ground is important in tackling these criminal networks, we also need to make sure our officers have as many powers as possible to bring them down.   

“But we can’t do this on our own. We are working closely with the police and local government. And we need the eyes and ears of the public to report potential dumping through Crimestoppers or our incident hotline. Working together, we can drive criminals out of our waste sector.”  

Adam Carey