SKIPS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Unaware haulage fi rms could be liable if caught transporting illegal waste – SEPA
LIFE SMART Waste, a European-funded project lead by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), is partnering with organisations and law enforcement to halt rogue operators illegally dumping waste throughout the UK, particularly in Scotland. Based on intelligence, the project is tackling illegal transportation of waste dumped throughout the UK, sometimes under the guise of being warehoused in unregulated units. The decision to target the threat posed by waste transportation recognised most illegal waste sites receive waste transported by road. Iain Brockie, LIFE SMART Waste Technical Team Manager, said: “Eunomia estimated waste crimes cost the UK economy over £600 million per year. “We’re working with partners to prevent waste from illicitly being brought from England and Wales and illegally disposed of in Scotland.” Illegal dumping can result in environmental damage, social disruption, pollution, pest infestation, fires, and disruption to daily lives.
Liable for prosecution
The issue can also aff ect businesses too. Haulage fi rms may be exploited by criminals to transport waste to illegal disposal sites and these hauliers may not realise they are committing off ences that could leave them liable to fi nes, prosecution and operational sanctions. To tackle the issue, SEPA is collaborating with agencies including cross-party Environmental Agencies, Police Scotland, British Transport Police, DVSA, Offi ce of the Traffi c Commissioner amongst others. Robin Rofe, Waste Intelligence Offi cer for LIFE SMART Waste, said: “These ‘waste criminals’ undertake illegal fl y-tipping on an industrial scale for short-term fi nancial gain. They may not set out to harm the environment, but in their single-minded pursuit of profi t waste, criminals completely disregard environmental protection laws. “Criminals believe they can escape the law by crossing the border into another jurisdiction, but SEPA stress through working alongside multi-agency partners and sharing intelligence across boundaries, this threat can be addressed.” Waste criminals operate throughout the
country, off ering cheap waste removal, but then dumping it in empty warehouses, quarries, fi elds or farm buildings. Typically, this waste consists of materials that would be otherwise diffi cult to process or recycle and would possibly go to landfi ll, which normally incurs tax. Moving forward, SEPA want to form a Trade Group of experts within the waste industry, which would meet four times a year to discuss waste crime, its eff ects on the waste industry and how to eliminate it. The organisation also urges members of the public that notice any suspicious waste dumping activity at sites near them to contact SEPA on: 03000 996699.
www.sepa.org.uk
DRIVE OUT
Failure to comply with waste regulations and Duty of Care legislation could cost hauliers their operating licence, up to £40,000 and a jail sentence.
Find out more:
www.net
regs.org.uk/ envi ronmental - topics/waste
WASTE CRIME 20 SHWM December, 2018
www.skiphiremagazine.co.uk
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