February 10, 2021
Environment Agency officers working with London Borough of Bexley, the Met Police, Openreach and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime recently seized a vehicle and issued four penalty notices while stopping vehicles carrying waste in Erith as part of Operation Cubo.
The Environment Agency (EA) were pulling over vehicles to check they were registered as waste carriers with the Environment Agency, and that they had a required waste transfer note showing what they were carrying, where they picked the waste up and where they were taking it to.
The EA and its partners stopped 22 vehicles carrying waste, issued four fixed penalty notices for non-compliance and seized one vehicle. Matt Higginson, Environment Manager for the EA, said: “It’s our job to protect people and nature even in these uncertain times, which is why our regulatory and enforcement work continues while we adhere to the government’s guidelines around coronavirus.
“This should serve as a warning to those who would flout the law that we and our partners are still fighting to put a stop to waste crime and we won’t hesitate to take action.”
To help avoid giving waste to an illegal waste carrier and waste ending up at an illegal waste site, the EA encourage you to ask for your waste collector’s waste carrier’s registration number and ask to see their waste transfer note, they must be able to produce both. People are also encouraged to avoid paying in cash.
Joint investigations will continue with the Environment Agency and, if convicted as a result of legal action, those responsible could face extensive fines and even prison sentences.
This is valid as of 10th February 2021.
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