The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are currently one month into a three month consultation, in an attempt to strengthen action against illegal waste management. This will also include a review of legislation on waste duty of care, the registration of waste carriers and controls on waste brokers, and comes as Ministers have raised concerns that the move away from landfill could encourage rogue companies who operate outside the law in dealing with waste.
The review intends to make life easier for enforcement agencies to target illegal operators and impose more flexible penalties for waste offences. It also aims to simplify and modernise current legislation to make sure both businesses and individuals deal with their waste legally and responsibly.
Speaking about the consultation, Minister for local environment quality Ben Bradshaw said, "A major barrier to the realisation of sustainable waste management is waste crime and the illegal disposal of waste. This is already a significant problem, which has a notable effect on the quality of life in many communities. We need to produce less waste, think differently about how we can reuse it and have a more joined-up approach to waste management." The review will consider whether to identify new offences for things like forgery or incorrect descriptions of waste, how to raise awareness of legal requirements and create a greater link between different waste legislation, such as duty of care and the transfrontier shipment of waste.
The consultation will close on 9 March 2007, and once responses have been considered a second consultation which includes draft amending regulations will be issued.
