CIEH supports Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan but calls for clarity on local authority role

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has today welcomed new government measures to tackle the growing problem of waste crime, which continues to blight communities across the country.

The publication of the Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan comes just one day after CIEH convened leading experts and enforcement partners at its first-ever Waste Crime Conference to share insights, updates, and examples of best practice.

In his keynote address, Phil Davies, Head of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting that waste crime costs the economy in England at least £1 billion every year.

He also drew attention to the “big hidden issue” behind these offences: the immediate, ongoing, and long-term health impacts that illegal waste activities can have on individuals and communities.

Richard Hudson, Chartered Resource and Waste Manager at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), which supported the conference, reinforced this message.

He told delegates that waste crime “causes misery, anxiety and significant harm to people, communities, the economy and the environment,” adding that it remains attractive to criminals because “the rewards are high, while the risks are comparatively low.”

CIEH strongly welcomes the Government’s new action plan and the innovative measures it proposes to help prevent incidents through stronger deterrents and to support tougher, more effective enforcement.

However, while recognising and supporting the ambition of the plan, CIEH is seeking clarity on the role of local authorities – particularly environmental health teams – within the multi agency response required to deliver these measures on the ground.

Richard Fernandez, Head of Policy & External Affairs at CIEH, said:

“Waste crime is far more than an environmental nuisance – it causes real harm to people, communities, and the places in which we live. We therefore welcome the Government’s new Waste Crime Action Plan and its commitment to clean up some of the worst illegal waste sites which are already having a huge impact on the environment and public health and wellbeing.

“We particularly welcome the strengthening of deterrents, enforcement measures and financial penalties for waste criminals outlined in the action plan to ensure the significant costs of the enforcement and investigation into these activities does not fall on already stretched local authority resources.

“At our Waste Crime Conference this week, partners from across the sector made clear the scale of the challenge and the urgent need for a coordinated response.

“Tackling waste crime effectively requires robust multi‑agency collaboration including intelligence sharing, and we will be writing to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to understand how local authorities – and in particular environmental health teams – will be supported to deliver their vital role within this framework on behalf of our members.

“We look forward to working closely with government and sector partners to ensure that the measures announced translate into meaningful action on the ground, protecting public health, safeguarding our environment, and helping communities feel safe and supported.”

Sarah Bradley, Director of Consilium Training and Support, a training provider for local authorities on criminal investigations such as waste crime, said:

“The Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan is a welcome step, but it must translate into sustained, solid improvements on the ground. Waste crime is a fast-growing form of organised criminality in the UK costing communities, local authorities and legitimate businesses billions of pounds each year.

“Tackling waste crime requires more than new announcements. It needs long-term investment, stronger intelligence-sharing, and properly resourced frontline enforcement.

“If the plan is to succeed, the Government must work closely with those who deal with waste crime daily. These are the people who understand the scale of the challenges and the barriers that currently hold enforcement back.

“With the right support and operational capability, we can begin to close the gap between waste criminals and the agencies tasked to stop them.

“We will continue to monitor developments and support practitioners in preparing for these changes.”