Environment experts cracking down on rogue waste firms on social media

Chancers advertising illegal waste collections on social media sites are being targeted by Scotland’s environmental regulator in a new digital clampdown.

SEPA’S specialist enforcement team are monitoring sites like Facebook and Gumtree to catch waste criminals as part of a wider effort to deter illegal activity across the waste management chain.

Jennifer Shearer from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said:“we know illegal activity places further stress on legitimate operators – especially where services are being pushed through social media and other channels. Through our monitoring of social media we have unfortunately seen a number of instances of couriers and so-called white van men taking the opportunity to offer an unauthorised waste collection service and then often dumping in public spaces or remote parts of countryside, creating an unsafe environmental hazard and eyesore.

“Having witnessed an increase in adverts of this kind in recent months, our digital disruption is designed to take illegal operators out of the market.”

Where enforcement officers identify carriers not registered with SEPA, they will make contact to warn them that they are operating illegally.

If they do not apply for a registration or stop activities, SEPA will take enforcement action which could see them subjected to fines or criminal prosecution.