Environment Agency Release Chief Regulators Report for 2024-25

The Environment Agency (EA) is stepping up its fight against waste-related pollution with a major expansion of inspections and enforcement measures. This move follows alarming findings in its Second Chief Regulator report, published on 21 November, which revealed that waste operations were the leading cause of serious environmental harm in 2024 accounting for nearly a quarter of all major incidents.

The report highlights 146 serious incidents linked to both permitted and exempt waste activities, a 57% increase compared with 2023. Landfills and deposit-for-recovery sites were particularly problematic, with incidents more than tripling year-on-year to 76. The EA warns that without stronger regulation and improved data; the scale of harm will continue to escalate.

To address this, the EA plans to modernise its regulatory systems, invest in digital intelligence, and significantly increase inspection capacity, targeting 10,000 inspections by March 2026. It will also reform cost recovery and charging strategies to support enforcement, despite uncertainty over additional funding.

Chief Regulator Jo Nettleton emphasised that these changes would enable smarter, risk-based regulation that protects the environment while supporting sustainable growth. EA Chief Executive Philip Duffy added that the agency is evolving into “a modern regulator” equipped to tackle waste crime and pollution effectively.

Read the EA Chief Regulator’s Report for 2024-25 here.