House of Lords Launches Inquiry into Waste Crime

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee has officially launched an inquiry into waste crime, beginning with an evidence session featuring key industry experts.

The inquiry is focused on tackling serious and organised waste crime — including illegal waste sites, fly-tipping, and landfill tax fraud — which pose significant environmental and economic risks. Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), described waste crime as a “£1 billion problem” that continues to escalate.

Cooke highlighted the wide-reaching impacts of waste crime, from lost revenue and clean-up costs to damage to local communities and the environment. He also warned that the scale of unknown waste crime is likely much greater than currently estimated, and that it undermines legitimate operators working towards net zero and circular economy goals.

Joining Cooke in the evidence session were Sam Corp, Head of Regulation at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), and Donald Macphail, Chief Operating Officer for Treatment and Hazardous Waste, UK, at Veolia. Together, they shared insights into the scale, consequences, and regulatory challenges surrounding waste crime.

The Committee aims to assess the effectiveness of current monitoring and enforcement regimes and explore the government’s plans to address the issue. Further evidence sessions with industry stakeholders are scheduled to continue next week, on 10 September.

You can read the full article on Circular Online here.

Source: Circular Online