

Environment Agency to get tough on waste criminals
24th July 2008Illegal waste sites are still a big problem for the waste industry and the Environment Agency (EA) has a lot to do to make it easier for companies to take the environment more seriously, according to EA chief executive Paul Leinster.
Unveiling the EA's annual Spotlight report on the environmental
performance of business, Leinster said that over the last 10 years the EA had
helped create a better environment for people and through its approach to
regulation has reduced waste by 14% since 1998.
But he said that illegal
waste sites were still a big problem that needs to be tackled.
Illegal waste
sites include dumping grounds where the owners of these grounds accept waste for
money without having a waste permit. They can consist of illegal car scrap yards
or bigger sites where construction waste is dumped on disused land.
The
report found that in England and Wales in 2006 - 2007, the EA closed 277 illegal
waste sites and issued an exemption to 75.
Environment Agency chief executive Paul Leinster told MRW that illegal
activity is the ‘ugly' side of the waste industry. He said: "There are criminals
who are operating in this area and we need to stamp them out because if they are
operating then they are undercutting legitimate business. We need to be
encouraging legitimate business and there are some really good sites.
"What
we need to be doing, is encouraging the good to go further and make sure that
those that are trying to do their best to receive help to improve. Those that do
not want to act legally will be closed down. They have two choices, either we
close them down or they start acting legally - but that's their choice."