Drones and laser tech unleashed in new crackdown on rural waste crime
Waste criminals dumping rubbish across farmland and rural communities will now face drones, laser mapping and new digital screening tools under a major Environment Agency crackdown.
The agency says the cutting-edge package is designed to stop illegal operators before they even get started, as waste crime continues to blight countryside sites and leave landowners facing huge clean-up costs.
The announcement comes just days after a waste crime boss who dumped rubbish across farms and rural sites in England — equivalent to the weight of 600 African elephants — was ordered to pay more than £1.4 million.
According to NFU Mutual’s latest rural crime report, rural crime cost the UK £44.1 million in 2024, adding significant strain to already hard-pressed farming communities.
The measures build on what the EA called a record year of enforcement, during which 751 illegal waste sites were shut down and hundreds of offenders were brought to justice.
Central to the new approach is an expanded 33-strong drone squad, tasked with tracking down illegal dumps from the air and capturing evidence for prosecutions.
Some drones are being upgraded with advanced laser mapping technology, allowing officers to pinpoint exactly where waste has been dumped and produce detailed site imagery for court.
The EA has also introduced a new preventative screening system that cross-checks Heavy Goods Vehicle operator licence applications against waste permit and carrier records.
By scanning weekly data published by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, officers can flag suspect operators early — before waste is moved illegally.
The tool has already been trialled in East Anglia, where it helped uncover a company that had secretly relocated its HGV base in an apparent attempt to evade enforcement.
The software identified the new operating centre within a week, enabling intervention before a licence was approved.
The package is backed by an expanded Joint Unit for Waste Crime, which has grown from 13 to 20 specialists, including former police officers.
Working alongside police forces and the National Crime Agency, the unit aims to dismantle organised networks behind serious waste crime.
Phil Davies, Head of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, said: “Illegal waste dumping is appalling, and we are determined to turn the tide on this heinous crime.”
“With organised criminals becoming ever more sophisticated, we are adopting new technologies to find and, importantly, stop them,” he said.
“Through the greater use of drones, stronger partnerships and more officers on the ground… we will stop you.”
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said the government was “aggressively pursuing waste criminals and bringing offenders to justice”.
She confirmed the Environment Agency’s enforcement budget has been increased by more than 50% to £15.6 million.
“By increasing the Environment Agency’s enforcement budget by over 50% to £15.6 million, we’re investing in cutting edge technology that allows us to shut down illegal operators faster and more effectively,” she said.
“From advanced laser mapping to drone surveillance and new vehicle scanning tools, this technology is helping us track, expose and stop waste crime.”
The drones will soon be equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology, which uses laser points to create highly detailed 3D maps of waste sites.
Previously deployed mainly from aircraft for flood monitoring, LIDAR on drones will allow the agency to map illegal dumping locations more precisely and strengthen evidence in prosecutions.
The Environment Agency said the combined approach of aerial surveillance, licence screening and boosted investigative capacity reflects the growing scale and sophistication of waste crime.
Officials say the goal is not only to prosecute offenders, but to prevent illegal dumping before it takes place, sending a clear warning to criminals targeting rural Britain.
