Environment Agency deploys drones and AI screening to tackle waste crime

The Environment Agency has rolled out a package of surveillance and investigative technology as part of a push to tackle organised waste crime.

The measures include a reinforced drone unit, new data-matching software to flag suspect operators and an expanded Joint Unit for Waste Crime.

At the centre of the crackdown is a 33-strong drone squad tasked with tracking illegal waste sites from the air. Some of the drones are being upgraded with Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) capability, enabling officers to generate highly detailed maps of suspected dump sites. The technology, which fires millions of laser points per second to build up a 3D picture of terrain, will allow investigators to pinpoint where waste has been deposited and use the imagery as evidence in court.

Since July last year, Environment Agency drones have logged 272 hours in the air, with an increased focus on identifying fly-tipping hotspots and illegal waste operations.

The agency has also developed new screening software to cross-check HGV operator licence applications published by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner against its own waste permit and carrier licence records. The system flags operators without the appropriate authorisations, enabling early intervention before waste is moved unlawfully.

The tool has already been trialled in East Anglia, where it identified a waste firm that had relocated its HGV operating centre in an attempt to evade enforcement. Officers were able to intervene before a new licence was approved.

Alongside the technology upgrades, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime has been expanded from 13 to 20 specialists, including former police officers, working in partnership with law enforcement agencies and the National Crime Agency to disrupt organised criminal networks.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “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.”

Up to March 2025, the agency secured 221 prosecutions and shut down 751 illegal waste sites, in what it described as a record year for enforcement.