Official data do not capture the true scale and impact of waste crime, and government initiatives do not amount to a convincing overall plan to address this. Waste crime is greatly under-reported, so government and Agency statistics do not capture the full impact it has on communities, businesses and the environment. Only around a quarter of waste crime is reported and the Agency cannot estimate the quantity of waste that is illegally exported. Local authorities do not report fly- tipping to ...

Official data do not capture the true scale and impact of waste crime, and government initiatives do not amount to a convincing overall plan to address this. Waste crime is greatly under-reported, so government and Agency statistics do not capture the full impact it has on communities, businesses and the environment. Only around a quarter of waste crime is reported and the Agency cannot estimate the quantity of waste that is illegally exported. Local authorities do not report fly- tipping to Defra on a consistent basis. To improve waste crime data, Defra and the Agency are placing their trust in a mix of initiatives, including encouraging pub Type: conclusion | Number: 2 | Response status: accepted Government response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Recommendation implemented The agency is aware of the challenges of understanding criminality within the waste sector and will continue to explore ways, including changing the way the agency measures waste crime