A tipper truck linked to illegal waste activity across Kent has been seized and crushed by the Environment Agency.

The 8 wheeler truck is believed to belong to an organised group operating in south east England, and was discovered in February near Iwade, outside Sittingbourne in Kent, during an ongoing Environment Agency waste crime investigation.

The truck was seen at a number of waste sites across Kent and is linked to illegal dumping of waste at commercial properties.

The vehicle in question was crushed, under Environment Agency supervision, by a licensed scrap yard as part of an operation into large scale illegal dumping of commercial waste.

The Environment Agency is urging everyone, whether a resident or a business, to take responsibility for their own waste. It advises people not to give waste to someone who can’t prove they are a legitimate waste carrier, because they are likely to dump the rubbish, to avoid paying waste disposal costs. A waste transfer note should always be obtained from waste collectors as proof. Anyone in doubt should call either the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60, use the Crimestoppers online form, or call anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Alan Cansdale, Environment Manager, said:

In cases like this, where the actions of individuals threaten to undermine legitimate businesses, we have no hesitation in using all powers open to us, including crushing their vehicles. We continually use reports from the public to build intelligence and target our work at those involved in organised environmental crime and where their activities pose the greatest risk to the environment.

The power to seize vehicles is an important weapon in our armoury for disrupting this type of criminal activity. Our new waste powers mean that tougher action can be taken to reduce illegal waste activity - making a real difference to local communities.

Using illegal waste dealers may seem tempting in terms of cost, but it can help fund organised crime. Everyone has a responsibility for their own waste and if your waste is found at an illegal site you could be facing fines of up to £5,000.

To avoid this, we encourage members of the public and local businesses to ask their waste carrier for proof of their waste carrier’s registration and to ask to see a ‘waste transfer note’ and take a photo of it on their phone.

Further information

No one came forward to claim the truck after its seizure was advertised. Under the powers granted by ‘The Control of Waste (Dealing with Seized Property) Regulations 2015’ the Environment Agency can destroy seized vehicles.