Cracking down on flytippers
● CEMENT blocks weighing five tonnes each have been bought to help stop criminals dumping illegal waste on land across Halton and the surrounding areas.
The Environment Agency (EA) in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire have purchased two of the blocks which will be used as barriers.
The equipment will be used across the North West to act as a deterrent to criminals.
The EA said waste crime is a serious issue which diverts as much as a £1bn a year from legitimate business and the Treasury.
EA area management manager Tracey Rimmer said: “We are taking this action to disrupt illegal waste crime as it can cause serious pollution to the environment and put communities at risk.
“Waste crime also undermines legitimate business and the investment and economic growth that goes with it.
“We are purchasing the blocks to stop illegal waste being dumped on land but we are also using this opportunity to ensure that landowners understand their responsibility.
“Landowners can be left with huge costs running into the millions to remove waste that has been illegally deposited.
“We want to work with landowners, industry and trade bodies to ensure they understand the implications of letting land to waste operators.
“By introducing the blocks we are trying to strike a balance between supporting waste businesses who we regulate while coming down firmly on those who flout the law causing harm to communities and the environment.”
The EA is also urging landowners to be aware of their responsibilities when renting land to a company dealing with waste.
Landlords should check before signing a contract that it complies with regulations and can do so online to discover whether the potential tenant holds the correct permit to carry out waste operations.
Residents who are aware of illegal waste activity can call the EA’s incident hotline on 0800 807 060.