Recommendation 2

Official data do not capture the true scale and impact of waste crime, and government initiatives do not amount to a convincing overall plan to address this. Waste crime is greatly under-reported, so government and Agency statistics do not capture the full impact it has on communities, businesses and the environment. Only around a quarter of waste crime is reported and the Agency cannot estimate the quantity of waste that is illegally exported. Local authorities do not report fly- tipping to Defra on a consistent basis. To improve waste crime data, Defra and the Agency are placing their trust in a mix of initiatives, including encouraging public reporting, introducing digital tracking of waste and technological initiatives such as use of drones. But for the public to go to the effort of making reports, they will need to know that action will be taken in response and they will hear what it is. In the UK outside England environmental regulators are exploring the use of satellite technology to identify serious waste crime. Recommendation: Defra and the Agency need to explore the full range of potential solutions to data weaknesses, including for example satellite technology, and ensure successful delivery of existing initiatives to improve data; where these initiatives rely on public reporting there should be appropriate capacity to follow up reported incidents.