The Joint Unit for Waste Crime has released its end-of-year report on its performance for the financial year of 2024 to 2025.
The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) is a multi-agency taskforce that works in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime in the UK waste industry.
The JUWC is comprised of 11 enforcement organisations and 2 partners that represent the waste industry.
The report is based around the JUWC’s priorities – Prepare, Prevent, Protect and Pursue – and highlights work carried out in line with its priorities.
This performance year, the report highlights that the JUWC has led or supported 34 operations, organised and/or attended 70 days of action, supported 13 arrests made by partners linked to these days of action, and delivered 40 awareness-raising or training presentations.
The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) End of Year Report 2024-2025 has just launched, highlighting important progress in tackling serious and organised waste crime.
A JUWC Manager comment included in the report says: “This performance report displays how the partners of the JUWC have continued to adapt to deliver successes and impact upon this evolving criminality.
“I am exceedingly proud of the amazing work being undertaken by JUWC staff and partners. The examples and performance outputs referred to in this report provide a small sample of the outstanding work being delivered in the fight against waste crime.”
In April 2024, the JUWC hosted representatives from Europol Environmental Crime and strategic partners from across the UK as part of a meeting to facilitate the sharing of knowledge on challenges and the capabilities that can be used to achieve this.
The JUWC joined a multi-agency road stops day of action in November 2024 alongside the Environment Agency, Kent Police Rural Crime Team, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), and Canterbury County Council.
Results from the day of action included:
- 22 vehicles stopped (8 of which were waste carrying).
- 8 traffic offence reports issued.
- 5 vehicles seized.
- 2 waste carrier lorries were issued with prohibitions.
- 2 producers issued by Canterbury County Council.
- 1 arrest.
In March 2025, the JUWC joined partners on Operation Goldjuno, a national metal crime week of action. The week focused on scrap metal dealers to reduce infrastructure crime and involved partnering with British Transport Police (BTP), Network Rail, and local authorities, amongst others.
Initial results from the week of action were
- 100 scrap metal dealers visited.
- 45 mobile vehicle collectors were inspected.
- 8 vehicles seized.
- 3 illegal sites identified.
- 2 arrests made.
In preparation for this and future metal crime weeks of action, the JUWC says it has been involved in upskilling enforcement and police officers.
According to the report, over 3000 officers have been trained via BTP to develop their knowledge and understanding of waste crime and environmental legislation.
Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), said: “The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) End of Year Report 2024-2025 has just launched, highlighting important progress in tackling serious and organised waste crime.
“As a key partner of JUWC, CIWM supports its vital work in protecting our environment, communities, and economies. We all have a role to play in reporting waste crime at any level – the professional waste sector can help inform enforcement actions.”