Waste carriers will be required to go through tough new identity, criminal record and technical checks in the latest move by the government to crack down on illegal dumping in England.
Legislation will be put forward this week requiring waste handlers to prove they are qualified to transport rubbish - with those granted a new-style permit obliged to display it in their vehicles and on advertising.
The new system is due to be introduced in 2027.
The chief executive of the Environment Agency (EA) Philip Duffy says this is the latest measure amid a growing number of mega-waste sites across the country:
"Waste crime is evolving, but so are we. These reforms give us the tools we need to fight back.
"With stronger powers to revoke permits and issue enforcement notices, we will move faster to shut down rogue operators and protect communities from the damage waste crime causes."
Speaking to Sky News last week, Baroness Sheehan, chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change committee, believes reforms are vital.
"We hope very much that they [EA] will carry out the things that they're doing, particularly making sure that the... reforms are brought in, because at the moment that regime is totally broken, where you can register anyone, even a dead dog, as a carrier," she said.
The government admits the current system for someone to get a waste permit is "broken and outdated", with limited identity and background checks.
The new system will move from a simple registration to a permit-based system, with operators required to actively demonstrate they meet requirements to operate.
Read more from Sky News:
'Waste criminal' to pay £1.4m
Growing illegal M25 waste site
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The EA will also have stronger powers to revoke permits and issue enforcement notices - with permit fees covering the cost of increased regulation.
The new measures announced today also include penalties of up to five years in prison for those found guilty of mishandling waste.
Currently, there are no custodial sentences for illegally transporting or dealing in rubbish.
The announcement comes after Sky News revealed last week that three new major waste sites are under investigation by the EA in Kent, Nottinghamshire and Berkshire, totally 120-thousand tonnes.
In total, the EA says there are 537 active illegal waste sites across England.
(c) Sky News 2026: Strict new checks to stop a 'dead dog' from registering as a waste carrier in illegal dumping c
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