Cumbrian waste carriers have been found to be flouting legal requirements.
A major multi-agency operation targeted waste crime across the county on July 6 and July 7 and included a traffic stop at Todhills in Carlisle and inspections at three waste sites.
The Environment Agency worked with Cumberland Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to check whether waste was being transported lawfully.
Officers focused on making sure carriers had the correct licences and paperwork.
The Environment Agency said the operation identified several significant breaches and it would investigate further, follow up intelligence with connected waste sites and vowed to take robust enforcement action against those breaking the law.
The agency also joined forces with the Joint Unit for Waste Crime and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to carry out checks at permitted locations.
Officers visited North West Recycling Limited at Rockliffe Estate in Carlisle and JJC Hire Limited and Sinkfall Recycling in Barrow.
The compliance inspections checked whether the sites were meeting the conditions of environmental permits.
The Environment Agency said follow-up action would be taken where appropriate.
Aaron Wood, an Environment Agency waste team leader in Cumbria and Lancashire, said: “Waste crime causes real harm to communities and together with other agencies we are determined to stop it.
“Joint partnership operations such as this helps us disrupt operations across the waste sector and gather intelligence.
“Where we find evidence of suspected illegal activity or breaches of regulation we will not hesitate to take action.”
