The Environment Agency is offering the public and businesses a new way to report environmental crime anonymously – through Crimestoppers.

The Environment Agency is teaming up with Crimestoppers, the well-known charity that allows people to provide information about crime anonymously.

Environmental Crime Team Leader David Eden said: “The Environment Agency gathers evidence in an intelligence led way, analysing all the information we receive on environmental crime to see where there are patterns and trends and where crime hotspots are emerging.

“However, we are only as good as the information we receive from members of the public, who can act as our eyes and ears on the ground every day.

“Environmental crime not only harms the environment and its communities but also has a dramatic impact on legitimate, law abiding businesses. We are proud to be working in partnership with Crimestoppers to stamp out environmental crime.”

Dave Cording, Crimestoppers’ Deputy Chief Executive said: “Environmental crime can be harmful to animals, unsightly and expensive to clean up and have a real impact on people’s lives. “This new initiative will allow people to pass on information about environmental crime anonymously, and enable us to help the Environment Agency bring successful prosecutions against those who flout the law and bring misery to people and damage the environment.” Crimestoppers guarantees that: • You will never be asked for your name • Your call will not be recorded • Your call or online form will not be traced • You will not have to make a statement • You will not appear in court

There are certain areas of environmental crime that the Environment Agency is particularly interested, including: • Large scale illegal dumping of waste (more than two large skips worth of waste). • The illegal export of waste tyres, waste electrical equipment, and municipal waste • Eel and elver poaching • Fish theft and illegal fish stocking

To report live incidents of environmental crime people can still call the EA Incident Line 0800 80 70 60 24hrs a day 7 days a week.

If you have information on these areas and you want to report anonymously please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or alternatively use the online form at https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp

Other examples of waste crime that the Environment Agency wants to hear about are:

• Illegal household or black bag waste found in a shipping container waiting to be shipped abroad • Large scale illegal dumping is blighting our picturesque landscape • Waste computers that were going to be illegally exported. Vulnerable people abroad remove precious metals within these computers by burning off the plastics; which damages their health and the environment.