{"id":10430,"date":"2025-11-12T20:32:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T19:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=10430"},"modified":"2025-11-12T20:34:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T19:34:50","slug":"waste-crime-is-everyones-problem-but-councils-are-paying-the-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=10430","title":{"rendered":"Waste Crime Is Everyone\u2019s Problem, But Councils Are Paying the Price"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By\u00a0Paul Empson, General Manager, Bakers Basco<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Paul Empson<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As someone on the frontline of the UK\u2019s waste-crime crisis, I fully support Keep Britain Tidy\u2019s call for stronger enforcement<\/a>. But what really struck me in their latest survey was just how many local authorities are feeling the pressure. With 98% reporting fly-tipping in their area and 70% calling it a major problem, it\u2019s clear that councils are being asked to fight an uphill battle with limited tools and even fewer resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Bakers Basco,<\/a> we work closely with local authorities across the country to trace and recover stolen grocery delivery equipment – reusable bread baskets and dollies that are part of our closed-loop system. What we\u2019ve seen mirrors the council experience: a rise in organised, profit-driven waste activity, often carried out by the same rogue operators responsible for fly-tipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These aren\u2019t one-off acts of carelessness; they\u2019re deliberate and repeat offences by people exploiting weak regulation and inconsistent enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For local authorities, the consequences are twofold. First, there\u2019s the immediate financial burden – the \u00a3100 to 150 million annual clean-up cost cited by Keep Britain Tidy is money that could otherwise fund essential public services. Second, there\u2019s the erosion of public trust. Residents who see waste dumped repeatedly in their area lose faith that reporting it will make a difference. Meanwhile, legitimate businesses and compliant operators suffer as criminals undercut them.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It\u2019s time to acknowledge that waste crime is not simply an environmental nuisance, it\u2019s an organised criminal enterprise and local government is on the front line of defence. That\u2019s why I believe the proposed National Fly-tipping Action Plan<\/strong> must do more than call for tougher penalties. It must equip local authorities with the data, coordination and enforcement capability to act decisively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our own enforcement model offers a glimpse of what\u2019s possible. We collaborate with councils, police and environmental enforcement teams to share intelligence, track stolen equipment and identify repeat offenders. We use GPS technology, CCTV evidence and body-worn cameras to gather admissible evidence, and we see results. When local authorities have access to clear data and national coordination, the difference is tangible. The same approach could help councils identify rogue waste carriers faster and build stronger prosecutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also need to make it easier for councils to work across borders. Waste crime rarely respects local boundaries, yet too often councils operate in silos. A central intelligence-sharing platform, linked to the Environment Agency and supported by police forces, could prevent duplication and ensure that the same offenders aren\u2019t being pursued, or missed, by multiple regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, enforcement must go hand in hand with prevention. Councils need the funding and flexibility to promote legitimate disposal options and to educate residents about the risks of using unlicensed \u201cwhite-van\u201d collectors. Simpler waste-site access, clearer communication and shared responsibility from manufacturers and retailers would all reduce the temptation to take shortcuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local authorities cannot carry this burden alone. Businesses like ours stand ready to assist, share insight and coordinate action. Together, we can make waste crime a less profitable, higher-risk venture for those who exploit the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we truly want to support our councils and clean up our communities, we must stop treating fly-tipping as an eyesore and start tackling it as the organised economic and environmental threat it has become. With joined-up enforcement, shared intelligence and stronger collaboration between business and local government, we can finally begin to turn the tide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For any instances of equipment misuse or to report suspicious activity, please contact Bakers Basco\u2019s dedicated recovery hotline at 08000 327323<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n

By Paul Empson, General Manager, Bakers Basco<\/p>\n

Paul Empson <\/p>\n

As someone on the frontline of the UK\u2019s waste-crime crisis, I fully support Keep Britain Tidy\u2019s call for stronger enforcement. But what really struck me in their latest survey was just how many local authorities are feeling the pressure. With 98% reporting fly-tipping in their area <\/p>\n

Continue reading Waste Crime Is Everyone\u2019s Problem, But Councils Are Paying the Price<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2722,2],"tags":[3745,1367,4733,25,417,26,264,3294,169,3752,310,416,3527],"class_list":["post-10430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-charities","category-local-authority-councils","tag-bakers-basco","tag-councils","tag-fly-tipping","tag-government-public-sector-journal","tag-government-journal","tag-gpsj","tag-gpsj-magazine","tag-keep-britain-tidy","tag-local-authorities","tag-paul-empson","tag-public-sector","tag-public-sector-journal","tag-waste-management","odd"],"yoast_head":"\nWaste Crime Is Everyone\u2019s Problem, But Councils Are Paying the Price - Government & Public Sector Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=10430\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Waste Crime Is Everyone\u2019s Problem, But Councils Are Paying the Price - Government & Public Sector Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Paul Empson, General Manager, Bakers Basco Paul Empson As someone on the frontline of the UK\u2019s waste-crime crisis, I fully support Keep Britain Tidy\u2019s call for stronger enforcement. 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