The Environment Agency is continuing to protect people and the
environment during coronavirus (COVID-19).
It is using technology to carry out its role as an effective
regulator where face-to-face visits are restricted due to
government guidelines.
Whilst regulatory visits to sites that could cause serious
environmental harm are continuing in the pandemic, in certain
instances the organisation has carried out virtual inspections of
permitted waste sites to check they are complying with
regulations.
Using online services such as Zoom, checking CCTV video footage
and requesting specific evidence to prove the sites are storing
waste correctly, the Environment Agency has been successfully
carrying out its inspections.
These remote ways of working have been used to carry out checks
of permitted waste sites throughout the Midlands, including Tom
White Waste, which has 3 permits for its two sites in Coventry.
David Hudson, Area Environment Manager for the Environment
Agency, said:
We’ve been able to innovate and use technology to continue to
regulate throughout this pandemic. Working remotely, we have
received all of the necessary paperwork and photographs from
Tom White Waste and carried out a meeting with them on Zoom,
which included a site tour via their real time CCTV, to check
their sites comply with the regulations of their permits. In
this case we were satisfied the company has shown good practice
and complied with the regulations.
Coronavirus is not an excuse to operate illegally. We are
continuing to work closely with businesses and industry to help
them meet their legal requirements and we are continuing to
enforce regulatory requirements, while following the
government’s guidance on social distancing.
We make clear in our approach to regulation and enforcement
that we expect operators to take all reasonable steps to comply
with regulatory requirements using contingency plans to help
them comply.
Businesses and householders should carry out checks to ensure
that they are using legitimate companies to deal with their
waste. To check if a waste carrier is genuine visit the
Environment Agency’s public register.
Anyone who suspects a company is operating illegally can call the
Environment Agency 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or report it anonymously
to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Notes to editors
