Waste Crime Frequently Asked Questions

The term ‘waste crime’ is purposely broad to encompass all areas of illegal waste disposal – from misdescription of waste to environmental permit breaches and money-laundering, these activities can endanger people’s safety and undermine legitimate waste businesses.

Waste crime undermines legitimate businesses and costs England's economy around £1 billion a year. We're determined to turn the tide.  

In 2024/5, the Environment Agency successfully stopped activity at 743 illegal waste sites, of which 143 were high risk. Our enforcement officers also prevented nearly 34,000 tonnes of waste from being illegally exported.  

We've also established an Economic Crime Unit within our National Environmental Crime Unit to target the money and assets of waste criminals.  

In 2024/25, we supported 21 ongoing money laundering investigations, secured 5 account freezing orders and 1 cash detention (£17.9k forfeited, £2.9 million frozen), and finalised 13 confiscation orders totalling £1.55 million.  

We will continue working tirelessly with compliant businesses, operators and partners to protect our environment and communities from waste crime.  

The Environment Agency is not legally responsible for clearing illegal waste and is not funded to do so. While the organisation continues to support the principle that the criminals responsible should cover the costs of clearance, it retains the power to take action in wholly exceptional circumstances. 

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of liquid or solid waste on land or in water. The waste is usually dumped to avoid disposal costs. Responsibility for fly tipping and powers to require clearance sits with: 

• Local authorities: responsible for investigating, clearing and taking appropriate enforcement action in relation to small scale fly-tipping on public land. 
• In England the Environment Agency is responsible for dealing with larger-scale fly-tipping (more than a lorry load), hazardous waste and fly-tipping by organised gangs. 
• On private land, it is normally the responsibility of the landowner to remove the waste. 

Local authorities and the Environment Agency have legal powers to require landowners to clear fly-tipped waste from their land. They also have powers to enter the land and clear it and may seek reimbursement for costs related to it.  

We understand people are concerned about the impacts of illegal waste sites and are keen to help in any way they can. We share these concerns and are horrified how these criminals have impacted the local environment.  

Information from members of the public is critical. Please call our free 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060 if you have any information related to this incident. You can also report information to Crimestoppers on their website. 

You will need to contact the Environment Agency if the illegally dumped waste is: 

• more than 20 tonnes (about 20 cubic metres) 
• more than 5 cubic metres of fibrous asbestos or 75 litres of potentially hazardous waste in drums or containers 
• possibly linked to criminal business activity or organised crime 

Waste crimes are mostly deliberate but can also be committed through misinformation or carelessness. Both businesses and individuals have a responsibility to educate themselves on the law and abide by it at all times.   

If you work in waste disposal, check you have the right permits in place: Waste: environmental permits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).