The Environment Agency has launched a new Economic Crime Unit
(ECU) to tackle serious financial offences in the waste
sector.
The launch comes after the Environment Agency's National Waste
Crime Survey 2023, which found that nearly one-fifth of all the
waste produced in England was perceived to be illegally managed.
Coupled with this, industry research suggests that waste crime
(which encompasses a range of illegal activities including the
dumping, burning, illegal shipping and misdescription of waste, as
well as the operation of illegal waste sites) costs the economy an
estimated £1 billion every year.
The ECU will reinforce the Environment Agency's efforts to
tackle money laundering and to carry out financial
investigations.
The new ECU will comprise two teams:
– the Asset Denial Team, which will focus on account freezing
orders, cash seizures, pre-charge restraint and confiscation;
and
– the Money Laundering Investigations Team, which will
enable the Environment Agency to conduct dedicated money laundering
investigations targeting environmental offences.
In addition, the new unit will utilise the Environment Agency's
existing working relationships with the police and HM Revenue &
Customs.
In a press release, Alan Lovell,
Chair of the Environment Agency, said:
"Waste crime is a blight on communities and our environment.
By undermining legitimate business investment, it costs our economy
an estimated £1 billion every year – money being taken
away from other essential services to deal with the damage caused
by waste criminals.
"The Environment Agency is committed to taking tough action
and the launch of our dedicated Economic Crime Unit shows we will
not tolerate organised criminals moving into the waste sector and
using it to facilitate other crimes."
In the 2021/22 financial year, the
Environment Agency brought 94 prosecutions for waste crime
offences, resulting in total fines exceeding £6.2
million.
The introduction of the new ECU should add a powerful tool the
agency's arsenal as it steps up its efforts to combat
criminality in the waste sector. It also serves to highlight an
increasing focus on criminal and regulatory enforcement in dealing
with environmental offences, and may signal a wider shift by
enforcement bodies in ESG-related matters.
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