Environment Agency
The Environment Agency and waste management trade body the Environmental Services Association (ESA) have today (Wednesday 15 May) launched their Waste Industry Placement Scheme to support the sharing of knowledge between the regulator and industry.
The Waste Industry Placement Scheme is a collaborative venture between the Environment Agency, ESA and their members, who operate recycling and waste treatment infrastructure.
It aims to provide Environment Agency officers with hands-on operational experience, bolstering their ability to regulate with greater understanding, credibility and confidence by undertaking short placements with participating waste companies.
It also presents an opportunity for both regulator and regulated organisations to develop a shared understanding of waste regulation, enabling each to gain a greater appreciation of the problems and issues on both sides.
Pre-pandemic, the scheme had been in place for 19 years and received excellent feedback, with around 30 officers taking part each year.
The scheme is now being reinstated, with one-week placements proposed to take place from June to September 2024.
Georgina Collins, Environment Agency Director for Energy & Resources, said:
The Waste Industry Placement Scheme is a brilliant example of the regulator and the regulated coming together to get a better understanding of how the other works.
We want to make sure our officers have the best skills, knowledge and experience to do their jobs effectively, so we are delighted to reinstate this scheme so that more people can benefit.
We look forward to collaborating with the ESA and the waste industry on the scheme for years to come.
Jacob Hayler, the ESAs Executive Director, said:
The Waste Industry Placement Scheme provides a great opportunity for EA officers to experience first-hand the wide range of operations undertaken by ESA members which will help develop a deeper mutual understanding of how regulation impacts and supports our sector.
We believe unequivocally in the importance of having a strong and effective regulator and supporting the Agency in this way aligns with ESAs core strategic objective to raise standards across the sector. Our members look forward to welcoming EA officers to their placements and working with them over the next few months.
The Environment Agency is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England. It exists to create better places for people and wildlife, while working with businesses to help them comply with