By Abbas Nazil
Organised crime groups across the United Kingdom are making millions of pounds each year from illegal waste dumping and burning, according to a new report by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee.
The committee described the situation as a “low-risk, high-reward” criminal enterprise, revealing that at least 38 million tonnes of waste are illegally managed annually, causing severe environmental, social, and economic harm.
In a letter to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, the peers urged the government to conduct a comprehensive “root and branch review” within 18 months to tackle the growing waste crime problem and clarify the responsibilities of enforcement agencies.
The report found that public complaints about illegal waste are often passed between multiple agencies with no decisive action, creating what the committee called a “merry-go-round” of inaction.
According to the findings, waste crime costs the UK economy £1 billion each year through clean-up operations, enforcement expenses, and lost tax revenues.
Up to £150 million is believed to be evaded annually in landfill taxes alone.
The committee accused the Environment Agency and police of failing to act decisively against repeat offenders and neglecting to use existing powers to stop widespread illegal dumping.
It warned that weak enforcement has allowed organised criminal networks to dominate the waste sector, often using it as a front for other serious crimes, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
Peers highlighted the case of Hoad’s Wood in Kent, a site of special scientific interest where 30,000 tonnes of waste were illegally dumped over four years before authorities intervened in 2024.
They described the government’s record of successful prosecutions as “woeful” and called for stronger coordination among agencies.
In response, an Environment Agency spokesperson admitted that waste crime remains a serious threat to public health and ecosystems but defended the agency’s progress.
The spokesperson said 462 illegal waste sites were shut down in 2024, with nearly 34,000 tonnes of waste prevented from being illegally exported.
The agency pledged to intensify enforcement, increase the number of officers, and work with law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice.
Members of the public were also encouraged to report suspicious waste activities through an anonymous helpline to help combat the growing menace of waste-related crime.