'Fighting a losing battle': NAO warns UK's waste crime elimination target under threat

clock • 4 min read
Waste crime remains a major problem in England
Image:

Waste crime remains a major problem in England

Environment Agency waste crime prosecutions have fallen from a high of 800 per year to just 50 in recent years

A 2018 pledge by ministers to eliminate waste crime is in doubt as organised crime groups enjoy rising returns from tax avoidance, fly-tipping and other waste-related crimes, at the same time as waste...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Waste

Smart clothes will soon be on sale - but regulations are needed to prevent a new waste mountain

Smart clothes will soon be on sale - but regulations are needed to prevent a new waste mountain

Clever clothing that can sense health issues are not far off, but they could prove hard to recycle or reuse

Ian Williams, Christina Webb and Stephen Beeby, University of Southampton
clock 10 August 2026 • 4 min read
Lidl GB extends food distribution trial with Olio to 200 stores ahead of nationwide rollout

Lidl GB extends food distribution trial with Olio to 200 stores ahead of nationwide rollout

Discounter expects partnership to redistribute the equivalent of nearly 11.9 million meals each year once live nationwide

clock 07 August 2026 • 2 min read
Carbon levies and choosing trees: How the London Marathon plans to manage the impact of a 'double' event

Carbon levies and choosing trees: How the London Marathon plans to manage the impact of a 'double' event

London Marathon Events' head of sustainability explains how organisers will manage emissions and waste from an unprecedented 100,000 runners next year

Stuart Stone
clock 06 August 2026 • 6 min read