Flytippers face prison
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by Amanda Bradbury • Flytippers and those treating waste without a licence will face 300% higher fines and a prison term for the first time under new penalties to be introduced next May.
The tougher penalties will be brought in on I May 1994 as part of a waste management licensing regime. The current maximum fine of £5,000 under the Control of Pollution Act will rise to £20,000 and/or six months in prison.
Implementation of the new waste management licensing system has been delayed since April this year because the Government has not finalised suggested charges for councilawarded licences. But now the Department of Environment says that it will "shortly be indicating operating factors to local authority associations".
The waste management licensing regime introduces a number of measures designed to make the "polluter pay". These include: • A competence and finance requirement for waste hauliers applying or renewing their waste licence; • A system of fees and charges which should cover the cost of supervision, but not enforcement, of the scheme by local authorities; • Passing responsibility for long-term environmental consequences of depositing waste to the site operator.