UK to grant environment agency police-style powers in waste crackdown

The United Kingdom Government is escalating its fight against illegal waste activity, moving to grant the Environment Agency (EA) enhanced “police-style” enforcement powers.

Under a new zero-tolerance policy, the UK is looking to expand authorities under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) to EA enforcement officers.

The move marks a shift in the UK’s regulatory landscape, treating waste crime as a serious organised criminal activity rather than a simple environmental breach. The proposed powers will allow officers to intervene earlier in criminal operations and strike at the financial foundations of the organised gangs behind large-scale illegal dumping.

Beyond physical enforcement, the UK Government is exploring protocols to allow enforcement bodies to share data with banks and financial institutions. This is intended to inform lenders of waste criminality, allowing them to make informed decisions on whether to maintain business relations with convicted offenders.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds emphasised the severity of the situation facing the British countryside and economy.

“Waste crime is a disgrace. It blights our countryside and communities, damaging our environment and economy,” Reynolds said.

“That is why we are taking decisive action. We’re giving the Environment Agency the police-like powers they need to stop waste criminals in their tracks and bring those responsible swiftly to justice.”

Strategic response to organised crime

The announcement precedes the publication of the UK’s new Waste Crime Action Plan, which targets everything from local fly-tipping (the illegal dumping of waste on land or in water without a waste management licence) to sophisticated illegal waste sites.

The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) –a multi-agency body including UK police forces and the National Crime Agency – has already expanded to 20 specialists, including former police officers and financial investigators.

Chief Executive of the Environment Agency Philip Duffy stated that while increasing the presence of officers on the ground is vital, legislative strength is the ultimate deterrent.

“Waste crime causes misery across communities, and we have significantly stepped up our response to it already. But we are not standing still,” Duffy said.

“While having more boots on the ground is important in tackling these criminal networks, we also need to make sure our officers have as many powers as possible to bring them down.

“But we can’t do this on our own. We are working closely with the police and local government. And we need the eyes and ears of the public to report potential dumping through Crimestoppers or our incident hotline. Working together, we can drive criminals out of our waste sector.”

Economic impact and custodial sentences

Waste crime is estimated to cost the UK economy £1 billion ($1,891,040,000 AUD) annually. The scale of the crisis is reflected in recent enforcement metrics: from July 2024 to the end of 2025, the EA secured 122 prosecutions, resulting in 10 immediate custodial sentences and the closure of more than 1200 illegal sites.

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the environment from reckless criminal elements.

“Fly tipping is an attack on our countryside, our communities, and the environment we all share,” Jones said.

“We will give the Environment Agency the power they need to crack down on these reckless criminals.”

Under the new legislation, UK waste criminals caught transporting or dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison.