Report serious and organised waste crime

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Independent charity Crimestoppers can take information on serious and organised waste crime .

Waste crime takes many different forms, including large scale dumping, illegal waste sites, illegal burning of waste, mis-description of waste to avoid fees and landfill taxes, and illegal export of waste. Much waste crime is carried out by gangs and individuals who operate bogus waste services, accepting payment for disposal without having the necessary permits for transportation or storage. If you have information about this and do not want to report to your local authority, you can report 100% anonymously to www.crimestoppers-uk.org or on free phone 0800 555111.

For smaller scale problems with littering, street litter bins, or small scale, one-off fly tipping on public land, continue to Report it to your local authority.

All enforcement agencies are working together to target environmental crime, so if you see it, report it. Together we can stop it.

A greener and more prosperous future with new Environmental  Improvement  Plan

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‘The revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), published today (Monday 1 December), sets out an ambitious five-year roadmap to tackle the nature and climate crisis, improve public health, and support sustainable growth.

People across England will benefit from cleaner air and water under a strengthened plan to restore the natural environment, backed by hundreds of millions of pounds to revive iconic landscapes.

Government will now work with individuals, communities, farmers, businesses and local authorities to deliver the plan, driving economic growth through green jobs and innovation while ensuring future generations benefit from a greener and more prosperous country.’

Find out more at GOV.UK

Over half of drivers say litter on UK roads is getting worse

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‘Littering on UK roads is getting worse. That’s the clear message from a new survey of more than 11,000 drivers by The AA, which reveals more than half (55%) of drivers say they notice more litter on roads and surrounding areas.

The findings come despite ongoing efforts by local authorities, environmental charities, and national campaigns to raise awareness and reduce littering.

“We need a national effort – combining education, enforcement, and corporate responsibility – to tackle what is fast becoming a roadside litter epidemic.”

Find out more about this survey at AA.com

New law bans plastic wet wipes to protect rivers and seas

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‘Wet wipes containing plastic are a growing source of pollution, with a recent survey showing an average of 20 wet wipes littering every 100 metres of beach across the UK*. When flushed, they can break down into microplastics that poison wildlife and enter the food chain.

Government today [18th November 2025] signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes, marking a major step forward in tackling plastic pollution which devastates our waterways.

While the new law targets wipes containing plastic, all wet wipes contribute to blockages and pollution when flushed. UK Water Industry Research found that wet wipes contribute to 94% of sewer blockages’

Find out more at GOV.UK

Partnership to tackle illegal waste burning

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‘The Environment Agency and Fire and Rescue Services are working together, locally and nationally to prevent and tackle illegal waste burning.’

‘Organised waste criminals are known to illegally burn waste to avoid legitimate disposal routes and associated costs. To conceal their activity, they may contact their local Fire and Rescue Service, reporting the incident as a ‘controlled burn’ in an attempt to prevent detection.’

Find out more at GOV.UK

 

 

Register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer directly online at GOV.UK

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‘Anyone who moves waste as part of their business operations must register with the relevant regulator.

This includes you if:

you transport waste (a carrier)
you buy, sell or dispose of waste (a dealer)
you arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste (a broker)
In England you can register directly with the Environment Agency online as a waste carrier, broker or dealer: Register or renew as a waste carrier, broker or dealer – GOV.UK

Registration is free if you only transport waste you produce yourself (unless it is construction and demolition waste).’

Find out more at GOV.UK

Join the Great British Beach Clean this September

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‘The Great British Beach Clean is a week-long citizen science event, where hundreds of beach cleans take place up and down the UK.

This year’s Great British Beach Clean is taking place between Friday 19th – Sunday 28th September 2025.’

Find out how to get involved locally via the Marine Conservation Society website.

Fly-tipper fined for dumping furniture in car park

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‘Residents have been reminded to dispose of unwanted items responsibly after a fly-tipper was fined for leaving furniture in a car park.

East Devon District Council said it had fined a person £200 after they had been proved to have dumped a flat-pack wardrobe, desk, chest of drawers and a sofa in Orchard Car Park in Seaton.’

Find out more at BBC News

How bad is fly tipping in your area?

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‘Fly-tipping is on the rise – latest data shows local authorities in England dealt with 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents last year, an increase of 6% on the previous year.

Farmers are running a campaign to tighten laws around fly-tipping – because they have to pay to clear it up and it costs them thousands of pounds.

Beauty spots have been ruined by waste being dumped- there’s been an increase in waste dumped on bridleways and public footpaths. Have you seen waste being dumped and reported it? What did the council do?’

You & Yours podcast – BBC Sounds

Environment Agency publishes results of National Waste Crime Survey 2025

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‘Landowners and farmers are being urged to help the Environment Agency stop waste crime as new research shows only 12% reported the most recent incidents which affected them.

Networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means.

To ensure it has the best possible information to identify and stop the culprits, the Environment Agency is appealing to landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.’

Find out more at GOV.UK

We all have a role to play to reduce waste crime at work or at home, by only giving our waste to people licenced to take it. Always check via the Public Register (GOV.UK) before you arrange for someone to take your rubbish. If in doubt, don’t use them.