The Illegal export and disposal of waste is “unacceptable”, and criminal behaviour needs to be “stamped out”, says the Environmental Services Association (ESA).
Following the screening of the first episode of “War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita”, the UK’s recycling sector has emphasised its commitment to ensuring the responsible processing of waste with a focus on maximising recycling opportunities.
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has called for greater regulation to prevent criminals undermining the efforts of responsible waste management companies.
Each year the UK collects over 12m tonnes of material for recycling from households and employs more than 95,000 people.
ESA’s Executive Director Jacob Hayler said:“The waste and resource sector goes to great lengths to ensure the material it handles is only passed on to legitimate companies.
The illegal export and disposal of waste is unacceptable, and criminal behaviour, whether in the UK or abroad needs to be stamped out.
“The illegal export and disposal of waste is unacceptable, and criminal behaviour, whether in the UK or abroad needs to be stamped out.
“The cost of waste crime is more than £600m per year in England alone. As an industry we have been crying out for greater regulation to stop criminals entering the waste and resources sector. They damage the environment, make people’s lives miserable and undercut legitimate business.”
Hayler said:“One way to actively prevent waste crime is to build up domestic reprocessing so that more materials can be recycled here in the UK.
“The Government’s recently published Resources and Waste Strategy supports the growth of new domestic infrastructure and ESA’s members are already backing this up with investment in new reprocessing facilities.
“However, industry investment must be accompanied by increased regulation to prevent criminals undermining these efforts.”
A first in a three-part BBC documentary looking at the UK’s use of plastics aired last night (10 June).
In the documentary Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall visits the mound of recycling waste found by Greenpeace in the Malaysian jungle.
Milton Keynes Council was informed by the programme makers that during research in Malaysia they found approximately 50 Milton Keynes Council pink recycling sacks in a giant area of dumped plastics.