Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesperson, Harold McKee MLA, has expressed his shock after the low conviction rates for waste crime was revealed.

An answer to an Assembly Question has revealed that of 900 people who were investigated by the Executive’s Environmental Crime Unit over the last 10 years, and who had cases subsequently sent to the Public Prosecution Service, only 262 – or 29% - were successfully prosecuted.

Harold McKee said:

“Serious and organised waste crime wreaks havoc on the local environment, as well as costing the local public purse millions of pounds through difficult and extensive clean-up projects.

“These sorts of organised waste crimes are not a victimless act – aside from the immediate threats to our renowned biodiversity, human health can be affected through potential contamination of our water supplies and local rivers.

“There are areas in Northern Ireland, such as South Armagh and other border areas, that have been plagued with the dumping of products associated with the criminal enterprise of fuel laundering over recent years.

“The revelation therefore that only 292 people, of the 900 that the Environmental Crime Unit (ECU) had sent files on to the PPS, have been successfully prosecuted is shocking. Whilst a small number of the remaining cases will be continuing, the reality is there are hundreds of people walking the streets who the ECU suspected enough of being involved in serious or organised waste crime to refer their case to the PPS.  

“The Police and the ECU will never be able to truly clamp down on waste crime unless the courts are stringently enforcing the law and punishing those guilty of breaking it.”