News and events
LIFE SMART Waste project completion
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The LIFE SMART Waste project (2014-2020) has finally drawn to a close with the completion of its ambitious action plans to develop and demonstrate innovative ways of understanding, tackling and reducing the issue of waste crime. |
INTERPOL publishes report on global plastic waste management
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INTERPOL have published a new open-source strategic analysis report on global plastic waste management that highlights an alarming increase in illegal plastic pollution trade across the world since 2018. Funded by the LIFE SMART Waste project, the report indicates that there has been a considerable increase over the past two years in illegal waste shipments ... |
Digital brochure published
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We have published a digital brochure summarising LIFE SMART Waste's results and the recommendations arising from the project's capacity-building initiatives to help regulators and law enforcement agencies to tackle waste crime. In the brochure we outline the innovative predictive analysis, detection and collaboration ... |
Criminal trends in the global plastic waste market
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In the wake of restrictions on foreign waste imports since 2018, we have worked with INTERPOL to help prepare and publish two strategic analysis reports, one assessing the criminal trends observed in the global plastic waste market and one with an additional European focus. |
News archive
Interested in our tools and recommendations?
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We are developing and piloting a range of useful tools and user manuals to help environmental regulators and enforcement agencies to gather intelligence and develop interventions designed to tackle waste (and potentially other types of environmental) crime. |
International collaboration to achieve smarter waste regulation and pollution crime enforcement
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The LIFE SMART Waste project successfully joined with the INTERPOL Environmental Security Programme (ENS) and the INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group to host the ‘Smarter waste regulation and pollution crime enforcement’ conference at the BEL Convention Centre in Brussels, Belgium from 12-14 November 2019. |
Final conference - REGISTER NOW! [Registration closed]
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We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the LIFE SMART Waste project's final conference in Brussels, Belgium from 12-14 November 2019. LIFE SMART Waste is joining with the INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group (PCWG) global network to host a conference entitled, ‘Smarter waste regulation and pollution crime enforcement’ ... |
Keynote address to Waste Management industry, London
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Iain Brockie, SEPA’s Technical Team lead for the LIFE SMART Waste project, joined a Waste Management Smart Class 2019 in London on 10 July 2019 to deliver a keynote presentation entitled “Life SMART Waste – Innovative Ways to Understand, Tackle and Reduce Waste Crime”. The Waste Management Smart Classes aimed to show key stakeholders how deploying ... |
Project extension
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We are pleased to confirm that the work of the LIFE SMART Waste project will continue until 31 May 2020. A one-year extension for the LIFE SMART Waste project, which is co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme, has been approved by the European Commission. The extension will enable ... |
IMPEL targets waste crime
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During 2019, IMPEL (the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law) is involved with three exciting projects related to tackling waste crime: LIFE SWEAP; WasteForce; and SPIDER WEB. |
Progress on technical actions
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LIFE SMART Waste has published a report to provide a high level summary of the project’s progress towards developing and demonstrating innovative ways to understand, tackle and reduce waste-related crime. The ‘Progress on technical actions’ report was prepared for ... |
Interested in our training?
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The LIFE SMART Waste project is developing a range of useful tools and user manuals to help environmental regulators to tackle issues related to waste crime. Following pilots to test and refine these materials, we will develop and deliver supporting training modules. The final training modules will relate to ... |
Principal Policy Officer appointment
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The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has appointed Eleanor Strain as Principal Policy Officer for the LIFE SMART Waste (LSW) project. Eleanor joined SEPA in 2002. Since then, she has worked in a number of roles to support sustainable resource use and waste management compliance. Most recently, she ... |
INTERPOL investigative case meeting, Lyon
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LIFE SMART Waste have been supporting the work of INTERPOL's Pollution Crime Working Group by participating in an investigative case meeting on the involvement of organised crime in pollution crime. Representatives from 18 countries met in in Lyon 20-22 March, 2019 at the invitation of the INTERPOL General Secretariat and ... |
We're recruiting a Principal Policy Officer
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A vacancy has arisen for a Principal Policy Officer to lead the design and development of policy and legislative changes arising from the LIFE SMART Waste (LSW) project within Scotland, UK and Europe. The Principal Policy Officer will be employed by SEPA with responsibility for environmental regulators, enforcement bodies and waste industry representatives and includes ... |
Coming soon in 2019
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The work of the LIFE SMART Waste project has gathered pace and 2019 promises a wealth of new insights with the completion of our waste crime interventions, further pilot studies and the publication of a range of reports to share the results. In early 2019 these will include ... |
Remote Sensing pilots to detect illegal waste in Scotland
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The LIFE SMART Waste project is currently undertaking two concurrent pilots in Scotland to develop and evaluate the application of select Remote Sensing techniques to help tackle waste crime. As outlined in the project's initial research, Remote Sensing techniques can potentially play a significant role in supporting the work of ... |
Could you pilot our Waste Crime Indicators Toolkit?
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has developed a Waste Crime Indicators Toolkit that is designed to provide practical indicators of waste crime using simple analysis of waste operator data. There are plans to pilot the Toolkit in EU Member States during early 2019 ... |
Keynote address to Waste Management industry, Leeds
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Iain Brockie, SEPA’s Technical Team lead for the LIFE SMART Waste project, joined the Waste Management Smart Class 2018 in Leeds on 28 November to deliver a keynote presentation entitled “LIFE SMART Waste – Innovative Ways to Understand, Tackle and Reduce Waste Crime”. |
Horizon Scanning workshops, the Netherlands
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Representatives from EU Member State environmental regulators and enforcement bodies from throughout Europe have attended workshops in the Netherlands to take part in a European pilot for the LIFE SMART Waste project's Horizon Scanning Toolkit. The project's recently-developed Horizon Scanning Toolkit is designed to help environmental regulators to build an early warning system for ... |
UK Waste Trade Advisory Group, Manchester
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has brought together a range of key industry stakeholders to consider the persistent issue of criminality within the UK's waste management industry. As a result, a collaborative trade advisory group was formed to help develop a flourishing 'legitimate' waste management industry by creating a more hostile operating environment for criminals. |
Interested in our training?
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The LIFE SMART Waste project is developing a range of useful tools and user manuals to help environmental regulators to tackle issues related to waste crime. Following pilots to test and refine these materials, we will develop and deliver supporting training modules. The final training modules will relate to ... |
ENPE Conference 2018, Greece
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The LIFE SMART Waste project shared some of its innovative work at the recent ENPE Annual Conference in Heraklion, Crete, Greece from 23-24 October 2018. ENPE joined with partners from two EU LIFE programme funded projects, and a specialist water Crimes Group from ... |
EMPACT financial investigation
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Referencing the project's Financial Risk Assessment Tool, LIFE SMART Waste has been supporting EMPACT actions prioritising environmental crime by participating in operational activity relating to Financial Investigations (Environmental Crime, Strategic Goal 6). The EMPACT multi-annual Policy Cycle aims to ... |
Multi-agency intervention to 'Drive out waste crime'
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The LIFE SMART Waste project, led by SEPA, has teamed up with the English, Welsh and Northern Irish environment protection agencies, enforcement agencies and industry associations to tackle the issue of illegal transportation and disposal of waste. The movement and transportation of waste is recognised as ... |
New Horizon Scanning Toolkit
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has developed and published a new Horizon Scanning Toolkit that is designed to help environmental regulators to build an early warning system for emerging developments in the waste sector to protect the industry from future criminal enterprise ... |
INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group, South Africa
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The LIFE SMART Waste project was amongst the initiatives discussed at INTERPOL’s Pollution Crime Working Group (PCWG) meeting at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, South Africa from 22-25 May 2018. The PCWG network meets annually to discuss new and growing global concerns relating to pollution crime, to share best practice in dealing with ... |
We're recruiting
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A vacancy has arisen for a Technical Team Manager to lead the existing team and deliver technical deliverables for the LIFE SMART Waste project. The Technical Team Manager will be responsible for ... |
Illegal waste warehousing campaign
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LIFE SMART Waste has partnered with Crimestoppers and a range of organisations to launch a campaign to help tackle the issue of illegal dumping of waste in warehouses and farm buildings. In the UK we are seeing an increase in incidents of criminals using warehouses and farm buildings to illegally dispose of ... |
Intervention Design Manual published
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has published an innovative Intervention Design Manual to give environmental authorities and others a framework for choosing and designing waste crime interventions and making partnership agreements. The Intervention Design Manual for waste crime was prepared by Cambrensis with input from the SEPA project team, Natural Resources Wales and ... |
National Forum on Waste Management - Nantes
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The LIFE SMART Waste project was amongst the initiatives discussed at the Assises Nationales des Déchets (National Forum on Waste Management), co-organised by ACR+ member Nantes Métropole, on 27 and 28 September 2017 in Nantes, France. Approximately 520 delegates gathered at this biennial forum which focused on ... |
New Remote Sensing report published
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has published the first in a series of reports investigating the potential for innovation in using Remote Sensing (RS) techniques and data to help tackle waste crime. Waste crime is a high priority challenge for environmental regulators in the European Union. RS techniques can potentially ... |
Industry perceptions of waste crime
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has published a report on waste and resource management industry perceptions of waste crime in Scotland following research undertaken to help fill gaps in our understanding of the scale of the issue and to inform the design of effective interventions. The threat of waste crime to the natural environment ... |
Save the date … No time to waste!
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The BlockWaste and DOTCOM Waste projects – focusing on illegal waste management and transport - have announced that their final conference will take place on 23 November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. Join the LIFE SMART Waste team in saving the date ... |
New digital brochure published
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We have published the latest in a series of LIFE SMART Waste digital brochures to provide an update on progress at the mid-point in the project. The brochure provides updates on the launch of the project's communications Hub, intelligence-gathering activities and progress in ... |
Assessing the vulnerability of the Waste Tyres sector
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The LIFE SMART Waste project is seeking the support of the waste and resources industry to complete a survey to help assess the vulnerability of the Waste Tyres sector to criminal activity. LIFE SMART Waste, led by SEPA, is working with environmental regulators and enforcement agencies throughout the UK and ... |
Financial investigations webinar
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The LIFE SMART Waste project will be delivering a webinar on 'Pro-active financial Investigation in tackling waste crime' on 12 June 2017 as part of the DOTCOM Waste webinar series. In this webinar, George Hope (SEPA) will consider how environmental authorities or regulators could go beyond their usual remit to ... |
LIFE 25th Anniversary
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To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of LIFE - the EU's financial instrument for nature, the environment and climate action - the LIFE SMART Waste project will be promoted by ACR+ at two events in Barcelona, Spain during 18-19 May 2017. The EU has been supporting nature, environment and climate action for 25 years. To celebrate this milestone the LIFE community is ... |
INTERPOL PCWG, Rome
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LIFE SMART Waste visited Rome at the invitation of INTERPOL's Pollution Crime Working Group (PCWG) to present an overview of a new financial screening tool that is being developed by the project to help environmental regulators to take a proactive approach to financial investigations relating to waste crime. INTERPOL’s PCWG met in Rome for a three-day conference (15-17 May 2017) to share experiences and explore new ways of disrupting ... |
Horizon scanning tool workshop, Glasgow
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On behalf of the LIFE SMART Waste project, Cranfield University facilitated a workshop of expert stakeholders in Glasgow on 26 April 2017 to explore how horizon scanning and predictive analysis could help to tackle waste crime. The workshop forms part of project Action B4 which aims to develop innovative emerging threats (horizon scanning) and predictive analysis tools that environmental authorities can use in the waste industry ... |
Enhanced External Steering Group
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The External Steering Group (ESG) for the LIFE SMART Waste has recently been expanded with new members to provide the project with a broader range of expertise and experience of tackling waste crime in Europe. The newly-enhanced ESG assembled in Glasgow on 1 March 2017 to ... |
Financial screening tool workshop
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Experts from throughout the UK gathered in Glasgow on 26 January 2017 to participate in a validation workshop for a ‘waste crime financial risk screening tool’ being developed by Cranfield University on behalf of the LIFE SMART Waste project. |
Declaration of Cooperation with ENPE
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On 22 November 2016, George Hope (SEPA) met with the Environment Agency's Shaun Robinson and Peter Ashford representing the European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE) to sign a formal Declaration of Cooperation between the ENPE and LIFE SMART Waste projects. |
International collaboration
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The LIFE SMART Waste project beneficiaries have been busy networking and engaging with a wide variety of organisations (including INTERPOL), individuals and related EU projects to raise awareness of the project’s goals, harness expertise and to seek partners for collaboration. |
Understanding waste flows
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has been gathering and analysing information on the flow of waste trommel fines in Scotland as a precursor to developing innovative waste flow audit approaches (project action B5). |
Communications 'Hub' pilot is underway
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The design and procurement of the LIFE SMART Waste project’s communication ‘Hub’ has been completed, enabling a pilot launch of the Hub for project beneficiaries and a selection of external users. |
Addressing barriers to joint working
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THE LIFE SMART Waste project has published two reports that aim to scope and address the barriers to joint working between agencies, nationally and transnationally, on interventions to tackle waste crime. |
New Intervention Design Manual
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The LIFE SMART Waste project has developed an innovative Intervention Design Manual for waste crime to give environmental authorities and others a framework for choosing and designing interventions and making intervention agreements with partners. |
Update on Operation Nortese
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SEPA, as the lead beneficiary in the LIFE SMART Waste project, led three days of multi-agency action – known as ‘Operation Nortese’ - between the 17 and 19 May 2016 with the aim of tackling cross-border criminal activity in the UK waste industry. |
Cross-border days of action, May 2016
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As a prelude to a series of planned LIFE SMART Waste project interventions using an innovative, collaborative approach, SEPA is partnering with a range of enforcement agencies to undertake three days of action during 17-19 May to tackle cross border criminal activity in the waste industry. |
First project newsletter published
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The first of a series of annual LIFE SMART Waste project e-newsletters has been published with the goal of keeping you informed with news of our activity, events and publications throughout the life of the project. |
Update on LIFE SMART Waste 'Hub'
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We are continuing to work with our LIFE SMART Waste project partners to deliver an innovative ‘Hub’ that will allow participants throughout Europe to collaboratively build and develop an in-depth understanding of the waste industry, its markets and waste flows for challenging waste streams. |
IMPEL Waste & TFS Conference (Ljubljana, September 2015)
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The LIFE SMART Waste project was amongst the topics considered at the three-day IMPEL TFS – Waste Conference which convened on 30 September 2015 in Ljubljana, Slovenia to consider the theme of “Waste Crime”. |
First project brochure publication
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We have published the first in a series of LIFE SMART Waste digital brochures to help stakeholders understand how this innovative pan-European partnership is targeting waste-related crime in Europe. |
Information gathering strategy completed
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We have achieved a key project milestone for Stage 1 of the LIFE SMART Waste project by completing the development of the project’s information gathering strategy. |
Stakeholder workshop in Glasgow, August 2015
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A collaborative stakeholder workshop for the LIFE SMART Waste project was held in Glasgow on 26 August 2015 focusing on two key project themes - barriers to joint working and designing effective interventions. |