DVSA steps up fight against illegal waste transport

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has launched a new intelligence-sharing initiative with the Environment Agency, to help better coordinate enforcement surrounding the illegal carriage of waste.

Under a new memorandum of understanding signed last month, the two government agencies will work together to stop waste being transported illegally, and to target unsafe drivers and vehicles, through joint operations and the sharing of information.

DVSA staff will be deployed within Environment Agency teams to help ensure the efficacy and coordination of enforcement action taken.

Companies that transport, buy, sell or dispose of waste must be registered to perform these activities, with those failing to do so at risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000.

“Companies who use a waste carrier must check they’re registered to dispose of waste, and not allow the waste carrier to dispose of their waste illegally,” said DVSA.

It added that waste crime costs taxpayers and businesses £1 billion each year, and encouraged the reporting of unsafe operators to the DVSA intelligence team.

DVSA chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “I am delighted that we will be working with the Environment Agency to tackle those who illegally transport waste. By combining our enforcement powers and intelligence we’ll be able to target those who break the rules more effectively.

“DVSA traffic examiners will issue fines to those waste carriers we find to be operating in an unsafe manner. These operators are putting themselves and other road users at risk and pose a danger to our environment.”

Sir James Bevan, chief executive at the Environment Agency, added: “We want to protect people and communities from the impact that vehicle and waste crime can have and create a level playing field for all operators.

“This memorandum of understanding with DVSA will help both organisations target the waste industry to improve compliance and vehicle and driver safety standards.

“To help us with this, we are encouraging people to check with the Environment Agency if the company they are employing to take their waste away is a fully registered waste carrier.”