| answer text |
<p>The illegal dumping of waste, including fly-tipping, is an unacceptable blight
on local communities and the environment. The government is committed to cracking
down on the waste and carelessness that destroys our natural environment and kills
marine life. We are also committed to increasing the penalties for fly-tipping.</p><p>
</p><p>Over the last five years we have strengthened and expanded the powers available
to tackle the illegal dumping of waste. Local authorities have the power to issue
fixed penalty notices of up to £400 to those caught fly-tipping or to householders
who pass their waste to a fly-tipper. Vehicles of those suspected of committing a
waste crime, including illegal dumping, can be searched and seized.</p><p> </p><p>Those
accused of illegal dumping can be prosecuted and, on conviction, can face a fine,
up to 12 months imprisonment, or both in a Magistrates Court; or a fine, up to 5 years
imprisonment, or both, in a Crown Court. Local authorities carried out a total of
2,397 prosecutions for fly-tipping offences in England in 2018/19, an increase of
7% on 2017/18. The value of total fines increased by 29% to £1,090,000 compared to
2017/18.</p><p> </p><p>We have invested £60 million in the Environment Agency’s waste
crime enforcement work since 2014. This year’s Budget committed the government to
investing £7.2 million in the development of electronic waste tracking, as well as
£0.5 million in 2020/21 to support innovative approaches to tackling fly-tipping.</p><p>
</p><p>In the Resources and Waste Strategy we committed to reforming the regulation
of waste carriers, tightening up the regulation of the waste exemptions regime and
improving intelligence sharing and joint working between enforcement agencies. The
Joint Unit for Waste Crime, led by the Environment Agency and including the National
Crime Agency, HMRC, the Police and others, was established earlier this year and has
already had a number of operational successes.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Bill
includes a number of measures to help tackle waste crime. It will enable Government
to mandate the use of electronic waste tracking; simplify the process for enforcement
authorities to enter premises under a warrant; introduce a new power to search for
and seize evidence of waste crime; and reduce the cost and bureaucracy when the police
seize vehicles involved in waste crime on behalf of the Environment Agency.</p>
|
|
