Michael Gove vows crackdown on ‘waste crime’ by organised gangs

Michael Gove has pledged to tackle the scourge of organised "waste crime" in Britain as figures show it costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds a year.



The Environment Secretary said Britain’s landscape was being damaged by “industrial-scale racketeering” as he announced plans for a review into illegal dumping grounds.

Environmental watchdogs last year found more than 850 of the sites, which are used for fly-tipping and illegal dumping, with around two closed down every day.

Mr Gove told the Sun on Sunday the offences, which can be used as a cover for crimes such as theft, human trafficking, fraud, drugs supply and money laundering, cost the public purse around £600m a year.

“It’s bad for local communities, bad for the economy – and bad for the environment,” he said.

“It’s industrial-scale racketeering by intimidating gangs who line their pockets at the expense of communities and the environment.

“As fast as we shut these sites down – up to 900 a year – others spring up. The waste crime review announced today will help us ramp up our efforts to tackle them.”

Waste criminality can also involve evading landfill tax, undercutting responsible waste disposal businesses and illegally exporting waste.