The prime minister says the days of criminal gangs making easy money from dumping illegal waste are ‘over’.
Fines will increase from £300 to £5,000.
Andy Burnham’s promised clean-ups of dumps in Kent, Surrey (Aymer Close in Egham is pictured) and West Yorkshire.
An investigation earlier this year uncovered hundreds of toxic chemicals at illegal waste sites.
The Environment Agency says “better use of drones, a bigger role for the police and the National Crime Agency, more Environment Agency officers on the front line, and a steep rise in fines will deter, catch and punish those who dump illegally.”
Mayors will lead that effort in their own areas with a reformed partnership between national and regional agencies and councils which will facilitate better intelligence and capability sharing at a local level.
Sites were prioritised on scale, risk to nearby communities, environmental damage, and links to persistent non-compliance and organised waste crime.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
“These toxic dumps have blighted communities for too long. I said we would clean them up – and that’s exactly what we’re announcing today.
“The days of making easy money out of waste are over. We’re giving authorities the powers to hunt down the people responsible. We will seize their assets and shut their operations down.
“These mountains of rubbish have been a clear sign to communities that politics hasn’t been working for them or their area. This government is going to tackle the issues that have been ignored by Westminster for too long and bring back hope.”
