Curig Jones - 3-Apr-2007
- Waste cheats beware - from Monday 2 April
2007 Environment Agency Wales will be able
to issue £300 fines to any businesses
found to be illegally carrying waste.
Mary Youell, Strategic Environment Planning
Manager for Waste, said: "By law, businesses
in Wales and England must be registered
with the Environment Agency if they transport
waste. This helps waste to be managed lawfully
in this lucrative industry, and to prevent
fly-tipping and illegal dumping.
"However, we know there are some businesses
who are avoiding registering with us. These
Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) will act as
a further deterrent to them and will give
them a much-needed jolt to make sure they
stay on the right side of the law.
Environment Agency Wales is implementing
powers to issue FPNs for certain environmental
offence including failure to provide evidence
of being a registered waste carrier and
compliance with laws on the Duty of Care,
and for some offences relating to managing
hazardous wastes. These are set out in the
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act
2005 and the Hazardous Waste Regulations.
As there are currently no requirements
for waste carriers or brokers to carry registration
certificates with them, they have in the
first instance seven days to produce the
documents when asked. If they fail to do
so within this time, an FPN may be issued.
Mary Youell continued: "Use of FPNs
will help encourage businesses to comply
with the law, particularly in the areas
of hazardous waste and waste transportation.
FPNs also help in our fight against illegal
waste activity allowing us to target our
enforcement resources on tackling more serious
waste crimes. It also means that we will
be consistent in our approach with Local
Authorities who have similar powers to issue
FPNs."
"Over the past two years, we have
made significant progress in tackling waste
crimes such as large-scale illegal dumping
of waste. We continue to work closely with
local authorities to tackle the general
problem of smaller scale fly-tipping.
"Often the large scale and complex
cases of illegal dumping of waste are masterminded
by criminals. This type of illegal dumping
of waste is not only an environmental problem,
but costs us all millions each year to clean
up.
"Everyone has a duty to make sure
their waste is disposed of legally yet some
people think they can get away with using
rogue traders. We want to encourage businesses
to comply with the law and stamp out the
illegal businesses so that the only ones
left are those that care about our environment."
To register as a waste carrier or broker
or to check whether the person collecting
your waste is registered with Environment
Agency Wales, visit www.environment-agency.wales.gov.uk
or call 08708 506 506.
+ More
Poaching the poachers - No rest for Environment
Agency officers this bank holiday
Tim Abbott - 3-Apr-2007 - A fishing trip
may be high on people’s lists of things
to do on the first bank holiday of the summer.
But while the nation relaxes teams of Environment
Agency officers will be working overtime
to protect our rivers and lakes.
The specialist High Impact Fisheries Enforcement
(HIFE) officers, introduced only last year,
will be patrolling rivers to ensure that
there is no illegal fishing taking place.
The officers have the same powers as the
police when enforcing fisheries law and
are also trained in surveillance techniques.
Environment Agency’s Strategic Specialist
for Fisheries Matt Carter said: "These
officers are trained to a high standard,
specifically to deal with illegal fishing.
They will help to better protect the fish
in our rivers and lakes, which will ultimately
improve angling for all.
"The investment in new equipment,
which includes protective vests, has been
made to ensure the safety our officers when
carrying out their duties aimed at curtailing
serious fishing crime.
"Fishing is a great pastime and we
encourage people of all ages to give the
sport a go this bank holiday weekend. It
is so easy to get a licence – from a post
office, over the phone or from our website
– and then you can get out and enjoy our
rivers and lakes."
The HIFE officers will be looking for people
fishing illegally for coarse fish as well
as salmon, sea trout, eels and American
Signal crayfish. The officers will also
be on the lookout for people fishing without
a rod licence or using illegal fishing techniques
such as mono-filament nets and fish traps
specifically to capture and remove fish.
Over the four-day operation, which runs
from Friday 6 April to Monday 9 April, officers
will be patrolling hot spots along the River
Wandle, the River Lea Navigation, the Lower
Mole, in the Tideway and Lower Thames and
along London Docks.
Anyone caught fishing without a rod licence
is cheating other anglers and can face fines
of up to £2,500. All the money raised
from rod licence sales is put straight back
into improving the environment such as restocking,
improving habitats and improving access
to fishing for all parts of the community.
Members of the public who see illegal fishing
should immediately contact the Environment
Agency free 24 hour hotline on 0800 80 70
60.
