Kent County Council backs Government crackdown on illegal waste dumping

Farmers and landowners who find their land used as an illegal tip can face hefty clearance bills. Communities across Kent know the damage fly-tipping and organised waste crime leave behind — not just to the landscape, but to the people who have to live with it. KCC’s backing for the Government’s new package, which includes stronger enforcement powers, tougher penalties and better information-sharing between agencies, is aimed squarely at those bearing the costs.

Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “We welcome the Government’s determination to tackle waste crime and the organised criminal gangs behind it. Waste crime is not a victimless offence. It damages the environment, impacts local communities, undermines legitimate businesses and can leave landowners and farmers facing substantial costs to clear illegally dumped waste from their land.” The Government’s programme specifically names the site at Power Station Road on the Isle of Sheppey as one of the major illegal waste sites it is targeting.

KCC hosted a Waste Crime and Fly-tipping Conference in July, bringing together local authorities, the Environment Agency, police, regulators, Government representatives and industry partners. Not a small gathering. The council says the event put Kent at the front of efforts to tackle the problem, and its experience has since been recognised at national events and workshops.

But Kent won’t be in the first wave. KCC confirmed the county isn’t part of the pilot’s opening phase, though it says it stands ready to support the scheme’s development and share what it has learned. Which is quite a lot, by now.

The council has already been working with the Environment Agency, police and industry partners across Kent to strengthen intelligence sharing and back enforcement activity throughout the county.