Environmental Crime

The pandemic and its lockdowns brought many back into the countryside where, along with the beauties of nature, they were able to observe the blight caused by irresponsible individuals and companies willing to cut corners and turn a blind eye.

Working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities are tasked with protecting the environment and preserving local beauty spots for the enjoyment of the public.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides regulators with a wide range of duties and powers. Enforcement action is increasingly the subject of legal challenges in the courts, ranging from the propriety of identification procedures and interview protocols to the very meaning of waste itself.

We provide expert advice and representation across the full range of environmental offences, from pollution and deposits of hazardous waste to fly-tipping and littering. We also act in appeals against abatement notices and prosecutions brought against local authorities by individuals aggrieved by statutory nuisances.