Environmental enforcement officers from North East Lincolnshire Council reported five drivers for waste offences during a multi-agency operation in Immingham earlier this month.
During the operation, mobile police patrols identified commercial vehicles suspected of carrying waste without the correct licence.
They escorted suspect vehicles to a Designated Inspection Area at Immingham Lorry Park off the A1173 in King’s Road, Immingham.
Partner agency officers conducted a series of inspections relating to waste carrier licences, the road worthiness of the vehicles, road traffic act contraventions, fuel tax evasion, pollution control, licensing, modern day slavery and rogue trader activity.
The action was taken as part of a multi-agency day of action (MADOA) that forms an integral part of the Environmental Crime Partnership.
The partnership tackles environmental crimes through closer working between North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC), Humberside Police, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), HMRC, Trading Standards, the Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), and other local authorities.
Results
Officers inspected 14 vehicles in total, with the following results:
NELC Environmental Enforcement
5 drivers reported for unlawfully transporting controlled waste (FPNs)
1 driver will be invited in for interview under caution for producing a false instrument (produced an invalid waste carrier licence)
Humberside Police
10 Traffic Offence reports with various offences including insecure load/misrepresented VRM/contravention of weight restriction/defective lights
HMRC
11 vehicles checked for fuel tax evasion – no offences revealed
DVSA
3 immediate prohibitions (2x lights, 1x tyre)
1 delayed prohibition
2 vehicles weighed (both in order)
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for Environment and Transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:
“Our main objective for the action was to crackdown on environmental crimes, but by working closely with other agencies in the Environmental Crime Partnership, we can target a wider variety of offences.
“Whilst our officers check that people are transferring and disposing of their waste lawfully, other organisations are checking to make sure that drivers and vehicles are operating safely and lawfully on the roads.
“I’d like to thank all the officers that play an active role in the Environmental Crime Partnership and for sending a clear message that we will continue to pool our resources to eradicate environmental crime.”
Inspector Tom Stevens, Neighbourhood Policing commander for the area, said:
“We have worked closely with residents in the area to listen to and act upon their concerns.
“As a Neighbourhood Policing Team, we always put the concerns of our residents at the heart of everything we do.
“The operation has given us and our partners the opportunity to focus our collective efforts in one place. With the help of North East Lincolnshire Council, the DVSA and HMRC, we have been able to tackle a range of concerns and offences – as has been seen in the results.
“The benefits of joint operations like this with our partners not only gets immediate results, but also acts as a visible deterrent.
“I want the people of Immingham to know that we are here for them. I would encourage anyone to tell our officers your concerns if you see them out and about. We want the community to feel the positive impacts of our work against the issues that have been affecting them.
“I would encourage residents to sign up for My Community Alert, as this allows us to contact people in a specific area with news and updates that are of importance in that community.”
Penalties
Drivers found to be transferring waste must produce the correct waste carrier paperwork within 14 days or face fines of up to £300.
Section 75 (4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 determines controlled waste to mean household, industrial and commercial waste or any such waste.
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