New drone unit to investigate illegal waste dumping across England | Waste
A new 33-strong drone unit is being deployed to investigate the scourge of illegal waste dumping across England, the government has announced.
Improvements to investigations into illegal waste dumping – which costs the UK economy £1 billion a year – come as the leader of a major waste criminal gang was ordered to pay £1.4 million after being convicted at Birmingham Crown Court.
Varun Datta, 36, from London, was responsible for the organized illegal dumping of mainly municipal waste at a network of 16 sites across the country, including at a historic mansion and nature reserve in Lancashire.
Datta – described as a “prolific wasteful criminal” – was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £1.1 million, reflecting the financial profit made from his crimes, plus £100,000 in compensation and £200,000 in court costs.
On Friday, the government announced a series of new, tougher measures to combat illegal waste dumping.
It will intensify its use of drones, with the establishment of a new drone team of 33 people. Some drones will be equipped with light detection and ranging (lidar) technology, capable of creating highly detailed maps of illegal waste sites.
The Environment Agency, responsible for investigating waste crime, has increased the size of its joint investigation unit to 20 specialists.
Phil Davies, head of the Joint Waste Crime Unit, said: “As organized criminals become more and more sophisticated, we are adopting new technologies to find and, importantly, stop them. Through increased use of drones, stronger partnerships and more officers on the ground, we will build on our action so far and send a clear message to those who commit waste crimes: we will stop you.”
The EA scored a major victory against Datta when he was found guilty last week after pleading guilty to knowingly causing the dumping of controlled waste at 16 sites. The weight of the waste was approximately 4,275 tonnes and the illegal dumping was spread across Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Lancashire, Kent, Surrey, Rutland and Middlesbrough.
Datta was convicted along with two other men. Two other suspects are still being sought.
Judge Paul Farrer KC said during sentencing that the crimes were reckless. “The odor and flies were present at some illegal sites and caused a localized negative effect on air quality,” he said. Landowners were forced to incur significant costs to dispose of illegal waste, he added.
He sentenced Datta to a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, along with 30 days of rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard Datta became a registered waste broker through his company, Atkins Recycling Ltd, in 2015. He acted recklessly in claiming waste processed by the company was being sent to a legal site at Kiveton Park, near Sheffield. However, the shipments were actually diverted to unauthorized landfills across the country, the court heard.
Middleton nature reserve in Lancashire was one of the places where waste was dumped. Part of the £100,000 compensation is intended to be used to replenish the reserve.
Mohammed Saraji Bashir, 45, of Peterborough, who pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the dumping of controlled waste at three sites, was also given a four-month suspended prison sentence, 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.
Robert William McAllister, 55, of Northwood, London, had pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the duty of care imposed on waste brokers in relation to controlled waste deposited at two sites. He was fined £750.
