WIREDGOV

Environment Agency and partners carried out two road stops in Sussex to stop illegal waste carriers. 29 vehicles were stopped, and 27 offences were detected.

The Environment Agency and Sussex Police Rural Crime Team, in partnership with West Sussex local authority and the DVLA, carried out road stops in Bognor Regis and Hassocks last month.  

They were checking large haulage lorries and smaller vehicles carrying waste or vehicles that routinely carry waste as part of their business, to make sure their vehicles and paperwork were in order. 

These road stops were a great success. 29 vehicles, carrying waste were stopped and 27 offences were identified. The offences included no MOTs, improper driving licences, incorrect number plates, vehicle defects and tyre defects. In addition, three vehicles had no waste carrier licences and two vehicles had breached their duty of care.  

The Environment Agency is considering appropriate enforcement action for the businesses or individuals that weren’t compliant with the regulations. 

Jon Rhodes, Environmental Crime Team Leader, for the Environment Agency, said: 

This should serve as a warning to those who would flout the law that we and our partners will continue to search out waste crime and we won’t hesitate to act when operators work outside of the law.  

To avoid giving your waste to an illegal waste carrier and ending up at an illegal waste site, we encourage the public and businesses to ask for their waste collector’s waste carrier’s registration number and ask to see their waste transfer note – they must be able to produce both. We also encourage people if paying cash to be even more cautious of the waste operator.

Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour hotline by calling 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

You can check your waste collectors waste carriers registration on GOV.UK Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers (data.gov.uk) or call 03708 506 506.

Notes to Editors

• The Environment Agency were inspecting vehicles to check they had a valid waste carrier’s licence.
• The Environment Agency checked the vehicles had a required waste transfer note describing what waste they were carrying, where they picked the waste up from and where they were taking it to.
• The partners mentioned above are members of the West Sussex Waste Partnership. This comprises all seven West Sussex district and borough councils and West Sussex County Council.