Release date: 26 July 2024
Pictured members of the joint-operation team from West Sussex Waste Partnership, Sussex Police, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Environment Agency
The West Sussex Waste Partnership (West Sussex County Council and the seven district and boroughs), in collaboration with the Environment Agency, Sussex Police, and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), has carried out a number of interventions to stop waste crime in areas with well-known fly-tipping problems.
Ten joint operations have taken place across the county in the last year, which involved stopping vehicles that could be potentially carrying waste. Officers interviewed drivers and examined the vehicles and their contents to deter and disrupt ongoing fly-tipping, help identify waste-carrying vehicles, and ensure compliance.
The joint operations resulted in:
- 347 stopped vehicles
- 15 drivers fined, three summoned to court, and 20 issued with warnings or words of advice by Sussex Police
- 39 businesses advised by Environment Agency to register as a Waste Carrier or face a fine
- 49 prohibitions and one fixed penalty served by DVSA
The most recent operation saw officers collaborating with colleagues in Hampshire, with 30 officers from eight agencies operating across four locations along the West Sussex/Hampshire border.
The success of this recent activity means all partners have committed to continuing the joint working and Operation Barley will continue throughout West Sussex in the year ahead.
Cllr Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “Tackling fly-tipping is an important part of our drive to protect the environment in West Sussex and this initiative from the County Council alongside the Waste Partnership shows we are actively taking steps to address the problem. I hope interventions such as this will help to raise awareness and act as a deterrent to anyone thinking of illegally dumping their waste.”
Kevin Carter, Chair of the West Sussex Waste Partnership, said: “Illegally dumped waste harms our natural environment and communities. Fly-tipping is both a criminal and anti-social offence and everyone has a legal ‘duty of care’ to ensure their household or business waste is disposed of correctly. The West Sussex Waste Partnership is passionate about responsible waste disposal and is committed to tackling this issue and hopes the ongoing joint operations will go some way to deter and discourage future incidents.”
Sgt Tom Carter, from Sussex Police Rural Policing Team, said: “In addition to the impact on wildlife and the environment, fly-tipping effects everyone in one way or another. It has a massive impact on taxpayers in both urban and rural areas, because it has to be removed at public expense. It also affects landowners when it happens on private land, and it can be incredibly expensive to remove if the waste is hazardous. It often creates a hazard on highways, especially on country roads with a national speed limit, where road users face an increased risk of collision.
“We regularly carry out checks on waste vehicles, and it’s concerning that a large proportion of the vehicles we stop are not roadworthy. This is usually due to the excess weight of the waste they are carrying or the poor condition of their tyres. Ultimately, the drivers of these vehicles are putting themselves and other road users in danger.
“On occasions we see fly-tips set on fire, and this puts a massive strain on resources including the fire service. The bottom line is it’s illegal and it’s preventable, and I would urge anyone who witnesses a fly-tip in action to report it.”
Jon Rhodes, Environment Agency’s Area Environmental Crime Team Leader, said: “We actively support permitted waste operators who provide an essential public service within our communities. In doing so, along with our partners we relentlessly pursue illegal waste operators and use all available sanctions at our disposal to stop them and their illegal activities which are polluting and harming our natural environment.”
Businesses that carry waste can apply for a waste carrier license online.
Residents are advised to remain vigilant and continue to follow the SCRAP code:
- Suspect waste carriers
- Check they are licensed
- Refuse unexpected offers to dispose of waste
- Ask how the carrier will dispose of the waste
- Obtain Paperwork
More information on duty of care and correct disposal of household waste can be found on the West Sussex County Council website.
