Environment Agency swoops to seize vehicle linked to flytipping

Officers from the Environment Agency’s environmental crime team, along with Kent police officers, seized a vehicle from a farm near Iwade, Kent, on Thursday 25 February 2021.

The seized vehicle is an 8-wheeled tipper truck. It is believed the vehicle was being used to fly tip waste in Rainham, Kent.

Alan Cansdale, Area Environment Manager for Kent at the Environment Agency, said:

This sends out a strong message that we will use all our powers possible to stop waste crime which harms the environment, wildlife and the community, as well as undermining the work of companies that operate legitimately.

To help avoid your waste ending up at an illegal waste site, we encourage you to ask for your waste collector’s waste carrier’s registration number and ask to see their waste transfer note, they must have these.

The owners of the vehicles now have until 18 March 2021 to claim to have the vehicles returned to them by the Environment Agency. If no legitimate claim is made, the vehicles will be sold or crushed.

Further information

Members of the public can report illegal waste activity anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the online form.

Check your waste collector’s waste carriers registration or call 03708 506 506.

The Environment Agency can seize and impound a vehicle, trailer or mobile plant without a warrant if it suspects:

  • waste is being carried without a valid waste carriers licence
  • the vehicle has been or is about to be used in an alleged waste crime offence
  • the waste duty of care is being or has been breached

When a vehicle is seized, the police and the registered keeper will be notified in writing. To claim the vehicle they must register their claim within 15 working days of the date of the notice. We may need to keep the seized vehicle and any contents for the duration of an investigation or criminal proceedings. If the vehicle isn’t claimed, or nobody is entitled to it, we may sell, destroy or dispose of the vehicle and its contents.

Earlier this year the Environment Agency and partners launched the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, aiming to stop serious and organised crime in the UK.