Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Eighteenth Report - Government actions to combat waste crime
Public Accounts Committee
HC 33
Published 19 October 2022
Recommendations
4
Acknowledged
The current sanctions are not effective in deterring people from committing waste crime.
Recommendation
The current sanctions are not effective in deterring people from committing waste crime. Under the current regime almost anybody can register with the Agency as a waste carrier and present themselves to the public as a legitimate person to take …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and aims to be more effective by reducing the drivers for waste offending, preventing opportunities for offending and improving deterrents. The agency is now working further upstream to prevent crime and harm before it happens, and the agency approach is more intelligence-led.
HM Treasury
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Conclusions (2)
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency (the Agency) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about government actions to combat waste crime in England.1
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that tackling waste crime is a priority and highlights existing steps like the RWS, but acknowledges that delivery has been slower than planned. They highlight future plans for reforms, consultations, and legislation related to waste management and producer responsibility, with the aim of eliminating waste crime by 2043.
18
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Agency told us how under the current regime almost anybody can register with it as a waste carrier, broker or dealer and present themselves as a legitimate waste operator. Several organisations submitted evidence to our enquiry that demonstrated how this lax approach enables waste crime. The National Farmers Union …
Government Response Summary
The department is planning to publish the response on exemptions reform (planned for late 2022, implementation by 2024), introduce mandatory digital waste tracking (planned for 2024), reform the waste carriers, brokers and dealers’ regime (planned for 2024), consult on implementing financial provision through waste permitting in the sector (planned for 2024), and bring forward UK-wide legislation that sets out the requirements on producers under extended producer responsibility for packaging (planned for 2023).