The Consultation

The Environment Agency (EA) carries out a range of regulatory services, which play a fundamental role in environmental protection in England. The EA does this by charging the businesses it regulates for the work required to regulate them.

In November 2024, the EA invited consultation responses for proposed charges for waste-related activities and hourly rates. The aim was to make charges fair and transparent and to ensure they reflect the accurate costs of the chargeable regulatory services the EA provides. Some of the proposed charges were completely new, while others involved updating existing charges. All proposed charges are intended to come into effect from April 2025.

The proposed charges include new charges for waste exemptions, which were previously free to register, including a flat-rate registration charge and a compliance charge, banded according to the risk level of the activity. Exemptions will continue to last for a duration of three years.

The consultation also outlines a proposal to introduce a waste crime levy, which would cost operators a 10% additional levy to annual waste-related subsistence charges. The funds raised would be used to tackle waste crime more effectively.

Our Response

While the REA is supportive of the EA improving resource allocation to better perform its regulatory duties, improve services for exemption/permit-holders, and increase enforcement of illegal waste activities by bad actors, we disagree with certain aspects of the proposed charges. For instance, it is unclear how some of the proposed charges–such as the Band 3 Compliance Charge for waste exemptions–will cover the resources required. Additionally, we feel that the proposed waste crime levy is not in line with the polluter pays principle and is an unfair burden to place on regulated businesses.

This consultation closed 20th January. Read the consultation document here. Read our response in full here.