Waste crime remains one of the biggest challenges facing the UK waste and resource sector, costing taxpayers millions while causing significant environmental harm. In this episode of the EfW Podcast, host Dr Stephen Wise is joined by Dr Anna Willetts, Partner at Gunnercooke, and Gareth Rollings, Head of Waste at West Sussex County Council and Chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), to explore the scale of the problem and why it continues to persist.

The discussion examines recent developments in waste crime enforcement, the growing number of large-scale illegal waste sites being uncovered, and the challenges faced by regulators, local authorities and landowners. Anna and Gareth share their perspectives on where current approaches are falling short, the impact on communities and taxpayers, and whether recent government initiatives will be enough to make a meaningful difference.

They also explore the economics behind waste crime, the role of organised criminal activity, the difficulties of tracing responsibility through complex waste supply chains, and the importance of prevention rather than simply dealing with the consequences once sites have been established.

From fly-tipping and illegal waste operations to enforcement powers, regulation and future policy, this conversation provides a candid look at one of the most pressing issues facing the waste sector today.

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