Thursday 23 November 2017

Budget 2017: Landfill tax for illegal dumping confirmed, £30m to tackle waste crime

The UK Government has confirmed legislation will be brought in to charge landfill tax on illegally deposited waste.

Operators with illegal waste sites will be liable for the tax and those who continue to flout the rules will face “tough civil and criminal sanctions”.

The announcement, which is part of Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Budget, follows a “positive response” to the consultation announced during the Spring Budget.

The government has also pledged £30 million of extra funding over the next four years to help the Environment Agency tackle waste crime and reduce the harm caused to the environment and legitimate operators.

The Treasury previously said the cap on contributions to the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) from landfill operators will increase from 4.2% to 5.3%, with the LCF - which provides support to communities affected by landfill operations - for 2018/19 set at £33.9 million.

Other announcements by Mr Hammond include £540 million for EVs and charging infrastructure, a tax hike for diesel cars which will finance a new £220 million Clean Air Fund, tax breaks for the North Sea oil and gas sector, plans to introduce a tax on single-use plastic items and no subsidies for renewable energy until 2025.