Report waste crime
Dumping or burning waste where it's not allowed, or allowing others to do so, is a criminal offence. Find out more about waste crime and how you can report it.
Waste crime
Waste crime is the illegal disposal or management of waste. It is a significant problem in Northern Ireland.
Larger and smaller scale disposal (also known as ‘fly-tipping’) blights the landscape, damages the environment and is expensive to clean up.
Criminals are often involved in illegal waste activities – from waste collection and supplying skips to illegal land filling and the burning of waste to get rid of it. Their motive is making money. They usually charge the legal going rate to collect and transport waste and then dispose of it illegally and pocket the profits.
Reporting illegal waste activities
Depending on the type of waste crime, you can report illegal waste activities to your local council or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency's (NIEA) Environmental Crime Unit (ECU).
ECU's purpose is to investigate and prosecute the most serious and persistent environmental crime in Northern Ireland.
ECU investigates potential waste crime offences with significant volumes, greater than 20m3 (the same as a fully-loaded, bin lorry) and hazardous waste, such as illegally dumped asbestos.
The Environmental Crime Unit will only make further contact where necessary. In most cases you will not receive updates about your email.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) may also share information, reports or intelligence received with partner agencies where suitable.
Smaller volumes of non-hazardous fly-tipped waste and domestic burning events, should not be reported to ECU's email address. It will not be responded to.
You should contact your local council for more advice and guidance about these matters.
Why waste crime matters
If it is not handled properly, waste can cause serious pollution of the environment – air, land and water. This can be harmful to not only human but animal health too.
Criminal waste activity also has an economic impact on legitimate businesses involved in waste disposal. These companies are unable to compete effectively in the waste industry because they are undercut by criminals.
It affects everyone because there are huge costs involved in ‘cleaning up’ illegal waste, which means that less money is available for things like hospitals and schools.
Penalties for waste crime
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) takes waste crime very seriously. Criminals involved in illegal waste activities can receive heavy fines of up to £50,000 and be sentenced to six months imprisonment per charge.
At Crown Court level, the fines are unlimited and criminals can be sentenced to up to five years imprisonment per charge - and made to pay back their profits.
Actions you can take
If you need to dispose of waste, either from your home or business, ask the service provider where your waste will be taken and what records you will receive to show it was managed legally.
Everyone has a responsibility to manage their waste properly. This is called the waste duty of care.
You should always use a registered waste carrier. A list of registered waste carriers can be found on the DAERA website:
Contacting DAERA
If you have witnessed or have concerns about alleged wrongdoing, corruption, fraud and malpractice in DAERA, you can make your concerns known.