Waste Management Carriers: Regulation

Baroness Sheehan Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Sheehan]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the use of available regulatory powers to take action against operators or waste carriers that divert waste from the legitimate waste management chain.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Baroness Hayman of Ullock) (Lab)]

My Lords, in the last two months alone, Environment Agency investigations have led to 16 waste crime-related arrests. However, we know we must strengthen the EA’s powers, which is why this Government are committed to do so in our waste crime action plan. We are also prioritising reforms to the carriers, brokers and dealers system, updating waste exemptions and implementing digital waste tracking. These measures will improve oversight, close loopholes and meaningfully tackle criminality in the waste sector.

[Baroness Sheehan (LD)]

My Lords, the Makerfield by-election seems to have speeded up action on the horrendous illegal waste dump in Bickershaw, Wigan. First, can the Minister say when it will finally be gone and at what cost to the taxpayer? Secondly, surely it makes sense to turn the taps off at source so that producers pay for clean-up if due diligence is not carried out and their waste is subsequently illegally dumped. This is what my Private Member’s Bill on corporate waste responsibility seeks to do. Will the Government support it? If not, why not?