Vehicles carrying waste illegally around north London have been the focus for the latest clampdown operation by the Environment Agency and Metropolitan Police.
Crime officers targeted waste carriers on roads across Brent as part of Operation Angola – a collaboration of various agencies led by the Environment Agency to target criminals dumping significant amounts of waste across the south east.
Small tipper trucks were the target of the patrol, as intelligence gathered from Operation Angola identified them most likely to be used by illegal waste operators.
During the day, 45 vehicles were stopped and together with officers from the Metropolitan Police, checks were made to identify compliance with the law on waste management.
Environment officers also checked whether waste carriers were transporting waste to authorised and legitimate sites where it would be handled properly.
Operations like this provide a brilliant opportunity to remind carriers about their responsibilities, enhance our intelligence around such practices and take action against those who flout the rules
On this occasion, no vehicle was seized but advice and guidance given.
Intelligence gathered throughout the day will help the Environment Agency’s waste crime team home in on illegal waste operators in the future.
Daniel Kettridge, an enforcement manager for the Environment Agency, said: “Through the persistent intervention of our officers and by working together with other agencies like the police, we are disrupting organised waste crime and bringing those responsible to justice. Over the last 18 months, the Environment Agency has seized and destroyed 4 vehicles linked to waste crime.
“Operations like this provide a brilliant opportunity to remind carriers about their responsibilities, enhance our intelligence around such practices and take action against those who flout the rules.
“The Environment Agency wants to make sure businesses carrying waste have the proper authorisations to allow them to transport and transfer rubbish – a waste carrier’s registration from the Environment Agency and waste transfer note from the waste producer.
“We also want to make it very clear to the general public that everyone has a duty of care to ensure their waste is managed and disposed of correctly by the people they give it to. If you use illegal waste carriers to take your rubbish, you risk being fined up to £5,000.”