Illegal waste: how we tackle it
In collaboration with local councils and the police, we play a vital role in stopping illegal waste, preventing waste offences and enforcing environmental law. All of this helps protect people and the environment.
We regulate waste activities through environmental permits, site inspections and compliance checks. These controls help make sure waste is handled safely and legally. When waste laws are broken, we take action to stop harm and hold those responsible to account. This includes disrupting organised crime linked to illegal waste operations.
If you're interested in the latest work to tackle illegal waste, you can keep up to date with our news and updates here.
What we are doing to stop it?
We take illegal waste seriously and act to prevent harm, disrupt criminal activity, and protect people and the environment. Our approach combines prevention, intelligence led enforcement, and partnership working to reduce illegal waste offences and its impacts across England.
In the 2024/2025 alone, the Environment Agency:
- in collaboration with local councils and the police, we stopped 743 illegal waste sites, sites operating without permits - including 143 high risk sites *
- working with business we brought 229 sites into regulation
- we responded to 203 illegal dumping incidents. Of these, 98 were within the Environment Agency’s remit. These involved large volumes of waste (more than 20 tonnes), potentially organised criminal activity, or hazardous waste. We supported our partners dealing with the further 105
- the Joint Unit for Waste Crime led 37 operations, resulting in 40 arrests
- the Economic Crime Unit conducted 21 money laundering investigations, secured six account freezing orders (£2.9 million frozen), and obtained 13 confiscation orders totalling £1.55 million
*We deem a site stopped when we see no further activities for 28 days.
Over the three years up to March 2025, we also:
- we achieved 211 prosecutions, resulting in £640k in fines and 20 custodial sentences
Read more about how we’re tackling waste crime in the chief regulator report.
Find out more about what we’re doing
Kidlington - latest news: https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/thames-regulated-industry-sites
Read about our latest updates here.
Why it matters
Illegal waste harms communities, damages the environment, and undermines legitimate waste businesses. It ranges from visible offences such as fly tipping and illegal waste sites to more complex activity including environmental permit breaches, money laundering, and organised crime.
These activities can put people at risk, pollute land and water, and create unfair competition for businesses that follow the law.
Waste crime also has a significant economic impact. In England, it is estimated to cost the economy around £1 billion each year.
What we need you to do
Many waste crime incidents are first spotted by members of the public, landowners, and businesses.
Reporting waste crime helps us build intelligence, target our enforcement activity, and take action where it is most needed. Even if action is not immediate or visible, reports help us understand the scale and nature of waste crime.
You can report waste crime anonymously to Crimestoppers.
Crimestoppers
Report crime online
Telephone: 0800 555 111
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Problems you should report to your local council
Contact your local council to report: