Writing in an op-ed for the Telegraph, the Defra Secretary, Ranil Jayawardena, vowed to clamp down on fly-tipping and make sure those responsible “face the full force of the law”.
The comments, published in the newspaper over the weekend, appear to be Jayawardena’s first public statements on waste since he was appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
In a follow-up piece, published as a blog by Defra, the Government department said that its new waste reforms will combat fly-tipping. It said that reform will see increased background checks for firms moving or trading waste, ensuring waste is managed safely and by authorised persons only, while mandatory waste tracking will mean waste is tracked from the point it is produced so regulators can better detect illegal activity.
Defra also said it is providing capital funding of £450,000 to enable several councils to implement a range of measures to tackle fly-tipping, including the installation of CCTV.
I hear far too many stories of hard-working farmers and landowners who are forced to clean up the mess left by criminals.
It has consulted on changing the rules, Defra says, to ensure households do not have to pay to get rid of DIY waste at recycling centres; and is also reviewing the use of booking systems at recycling centres, as they could be increasing the risk of fly-tipping.
Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our towns, cities and beautiful countryside. It is a serious, anti-social crime that costs us an eye-watering £392 million a year, as well as causing inordinate disruption to British businesses.
“In my own county, I hear far too many stories of hard-working farmers and landowners who are forced to clean up the mess left by criminals. We must put an end to this.
“As Environment Secretary, I am determined that we clamp down on fly-tipping – which has been a millstone around the neck of legitimate businesses and curbed economic growth for too long – and make sure those responsible face the full force of the law.”