Supplementary Memorandum from the Environment
Agency
Please find attached information on the number
of telephone calls to the Environment Agency hotline number, as
requested by the Sub-Committee on 25th March 2004.
This data is for all calls to the Agency's 0800
80 70 60 number 1996-2003, and will include reports relating to
water, waste and air.
This will invariably include those relating
to problems we do not deal with and are referred to other organisations
(eg Local Authorities), and those that are investigated by our
staff and found not to be an environmental "incident".
Improvements to data management and the introduction of Flycapture
will help in the collection of better quality data, particularly
on illegal waste management.
However, the increase in calls is very apparent,
as discussed with the Sub-Committee during our oral evidence session.
We were very grateful for the opportunity to
give evidence to the Committee, and are pleased that this serious
issue is receiving greater publicity, both within Government and
more widely. The recent Defra consultation on a flytipping strategy
is just one example of this.
We strongly feel that one of the reasons for
this increasing awareness of the problem is due to Agency's work
in providing both focus and leadership on such issues. However,
it is a broad topic and needs a concerted joined-up approach to
tackle it effectively.
The Agency is committed to tackling the root
cause of the problem, not just being robust in treating the symptoms.
In doing so we must also be mindful of not displacing the problem,
either in geographical terms or onto other forms of criminal activity.
I will be forwarding you the Agency's 2003 flytipping
data shortly. Please contact me if we can assist further in the
meantime.
April 2004
Number of calls to the Environment Agency hotline
number 1996-2003*
| Calendar Year | Call volumes
| |
| 1996 | 1,343
| |
| 1997 | 7,902
| |
| 1998 | 12,624
| |
| 1999 | 18,497
| |
| 2000 | 25,223
| |
| 2001 | 19,526
| |
| 2002 | 25,193
| |
| 2003 | 26,003
| |
| * Data is for all calls to the Agency 0800 80 70 60 number, including unsubstantiated incidents and non-Agency business (eg those referred to Local Authorities).
| |
| |
| |
| 
