Amid a government clampdown on rogue waste operators to clean up Britain’s streets, the Environment Agency has today (Wednesday 28 May) published new heatmaps showing the densest areas of waste crime reports in England.
Across England, 16,773 reports of suspected waste crime were submitted from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024. Here in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, the Environment Agency received 1541 reports of waste crime.
With the data demonstrating that criminals blighting towns, cities and countryside are active across the country, including here in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, the Environment Agency is urging the public to report more suspected offending as it looks to shut rogue operators out of the waste industry for good.
Waste criminals cost the economy an estimated £1 billion every year. Estimates suggest a staggering 34,000 million tonnes of waste is illegally managed annually, enough to fill Wembley Stadium 30 times over or 4 million skips – but the true scale of offending is likely far greater due to under-reporting of incidents.
Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation. Longer prison sentences for rogue waste operators and new powers for councils to crush vehicles involved in waste crime will act as a strong deterrent and ensure the full force of the law comes down hard on those trashing the nation’s communities.
Ian Crewe, Area Director at the Environment Agency, said:
“Waste crime is not a victimless offence, it harms our environment, undermines legitimate businesses, and impacts communities across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. These new heatmaps show just how widespread the problem is.
“We’re urging the public to play their part by reporting suspected waste crime and always using registered waste carriers.
“Every report helps us take action and protect our communities from the damage waste criminals cause.”
