SEPA Goes After Old Cell Phone Dumpers

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has signed an agreement with Crimestoppers in a bid to crack down on companies that blatantly flout the law in Scotland by carrying out illegal e-waste operations in the country, including the unethical or unsafe disposal of electronic items such as old cell phones.  Members of the general public will now have a Crimestoppers telephone number to call to report any suspicious activity should they become aware of it, in what is a multi-agency attempt to get tough on those transgressing the waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) rules.
Lawmakers in Europe have already voted to begin collecting more electrical waste from businesses in a bid to cut down on the number of illegally dumped items.
“With only one third of e-waste collected in the EU being treated according to the requirements of legislation, it is clear the bold changes to the WEEE Directive are necessary to mitigate the environmental and health risks posed by e-waste,” says Haley Bowcock, the environmental advocacy officer for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
“There are a number of reasons why people do not report criminals, fear is one,” says the Assistant National Manager of Crimestoppers Scotland, Kate Jackson.  “I’d like to reassure the public that our service is completely anonymous and in the 23 years that the charity has been running no one has ever been identified.  The service is run for you, the public, to help make your community a safer place to live.”