Fortnightly Bulletin – 18th November 2024
18 November 2024
Guidance
Environment Agency Charge Proposals for Waste Crime and Hourly Rates
The Environment Agency (EA) has opened a consultation on proposed charges designed to fund regulatory work targeting waste crime. The proposal also includes new charges for some activities billed on an hourly rate.
The proposal includes:
- waste exemption charges to help ensure they are not used for illegal waste activities,
- a fee for intervention to recover the costs of investigating waste operations and resolving breaches where the EA suspects a waste operator lacks the required authorisation,
- a waste crime levy of 10% on annual subsistence charges for certain waste permits, to enhance the EA’s efforts against waste crime,
- updated hourly rates that reflect the current costs of managing environmental permits and applying them to new regulatory work.
The consultation document explains:
- why the EA is consulting and what we aim to achieve,
- the economic context,
- the new proposed charging structure,
- the questions the EA have for you,
- how you can respond.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 20th January 2025.
Source: Gov.UK
For the full article, click here
Articles of Interest
Plans for Carbon Capture Facility at Incinerator
A consultation will begin this month over plans to build a new carbon capture facility next to an existing incinerator.
The carbon capture structure will form part of the facility’s transition to net zero. The company is aiming to make their operating processes 100% circular by 2030.
The facility is proposed on land adjoining the company’s energy recovery unit.
Source: BBC News
For the full article, click here
50% of Londoners Admit to Dangerous Battery Disposal Habits
Over 50% of Londoners have admitted to incorrectly disposing of old electricals in their household waste or recycling bins, according to research by North London Waste Authority (NLWA).
NLWA said “over the last eight months there was a 200% increase in fires caused by lithium batteries at North London’s waste and recycling facilities – six incidents were recorded in 2023, compared to 13 this year”.
These include a major fire at Waltham Forest’s South Access Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in May, which closed the site and took almost five hours to resolve, NLWA said.
Source: Circular (CIWM)
For the full article, click here
Enforcement Action
Operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (waste activity)
A landowner has been fined for allowing an illegal waste site to operate on their land, despite numerous warnings from the Environment Agency.
The land that was being used by a tenant to store and treat waste without a permit which continued despite the landowner being warned. This is an offence under Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations (2016).
The landowner was ordered to pay more than £9,000 in fines and costs, whilst the tenant was sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment.
Source: Gov.UK
For the full article, click here
Events
Waste Management and the Circular Economy (North Scotland Regional Event)
20th November 2024 – Online – 13:00-14:00
Explore the balance between metal resources and future sustainability, navigate the complexities of environmental legislation, and gain insights into fostering future talent, staff awareness, and engagement.
Source: IEMA
