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Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC)

The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) is a multi-agency taskforce. It works in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime in the UK waste industry.

Terms of reference

The JUWC works to and applies the Home Office definition of serious and organised crime (SOC). This is ‘individuals planning, coordinating and committing serious offences, whether individually, in groups and/or as part of transnational networks’.

The JUWC uses a 4P approach:

  • prepare – reduce the impact of waste criminality where it takes place
  • prevent – prevent people from engaging in serious and organised crime
  • protect - our interventions and activity will protect the UK’s critical infrastructure, environment, and communities
  • pursue – prosecute and disrupt people engaged in serious and organised criminality

The 4P approach:

Role and scope of the JUWC

This includes: 

  • the targeting and management of Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) mapped to environmental crime - an OCG is individuals, normally working with others, with the intent and capability to commit serious crime on a continuing basis (Serious Crime Act, 2015) 
  • the targeting and management of Priority Individuals (PI) who are committing serious crime on a sustained basis but are not part of a recognised Organised Crime Group (OCG)
  • investigating serious and significant offences linked to the OCGs or PIs
  • co-ordinating responses from the partnership to appropriately tackle waste criminality
  • working in partnership across industry and other agencies, including local and national government agencies to deliver disruption and enforcement interventions to undermine the ability of criminals exploiting the waste industry 
  • maintaining and developing partnership relations to enhance intelligence and information flows across partners
  • using the intelligence we collate to influence and support others in developing upstream interventions which help to prevent and disrupt crime in the waste industry, levelling the playing field for legitimate businesses
  • delivering training and providing support and guidance to investigators across the partnership agencies, supplying tactical and technical advice
  • engaging with stakeholders, industry, and communities, working with them and communicating the outcomes we achieve using dedicated social media channels

The model of delivery targets prevention and disruption, the performance of which is captured both on the national SOC disruption database and within JUWC performance reports. This approach creates enhanced opportunities to protect the public, communities and the environment.

Membership

The JUWC is comprised of 11 operational organisations and 2 partners that represent the waste industry.

JUWC partners are:

  • Environment Agency
  • Natural Resources Wales
  • Scottish Environment Protection Agency
  • Northern Ireland Environment Agency
  • His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs
  • Police
  • National Fire Chiefs Council
  • British Transport Police
  • National Crime Agency
  • Revenue Scotland
  • Welsh Revenue Authority
  • Environmental Services Association
  • Chartered Institution of Wastes Management

Meeting dates

The JUWC oversight board meet on a quarterly basis.

Reports

The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC): end of year report 2024 to 2025 covers: 

  • meeting our priorities 
  • performance 
  • successes 
  • communications 
  • JUWC Manager comment

Contact details

If you would like to work with the Unit or discuss becoming a partner in the Unit, contact us: JUWC@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Reporting waste crime

If you have any information about illegal activity in the waste sector, we encourage you to report it. You can report anonymously to Crimestoppers: Giving information anonymously.

You can also anonymously report serious concerns about your employer if you suspect wrongdoing in an area we regulate.

England and Scotland

In England or Scotland, you can contact the Environment Agency or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency incident hotline number on 0800 80 70 60 (24-hour service).

Wales

In Wales, contact Natural Resources Wales on 0300 065 3000 (24-hour service).

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency by emailing environmentalcrime@daera-ni.gov.uk

Further information

Read guidance on waste environmental permits.

View our public register for waste carriers, brokers and dealers.

Watch a recorded webinar about tackling criminal activity within the waste industry. You will need to register to view this.

Contact details

JUWC@environment-agency.gov.uk

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