Liverpool gets WISE to tackle environmental crime
A St Helens firm specialising in tackling environmental crimes such as fly-tipping, littering, and dog fouling is hired to clean up Liverpool’s streets. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool City Council has hired St Helens-based environmental crime enforcement specialist Waste Investigations Support and Enforcement to clean up the city’s streets.
WISE, which already works with 31 local authorities across the UK, will operate across all areas of Liverpool this summer tackling environmental crimes such as fly-tipping, littering, and dog fouling.
Councillors at June’s cabinet meeting agreed to offer a three-year contract to the firm. This agreement means that there will be additional officers working to help prevent environmental crimes and issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to anyone caught offending.
In England, littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping are all illegal. Anyone caught committing an offense can be issued a FPN by a local authority, or face prosecution in court.
As well as appointing an external enforcement team, the cabinet also agreed to increase the rate of penalties to deter people from offending.
Litterers will now face a £150 penalty, while those caught dog fouling will be ordered to pay £100. A tiered penalty system has been introduced for fly-tipping, starting at £500, increasing depending on severity.
WISE will be supporting the work already taking place through the council’s internal environmental enforcement team, who have been in post since June last year.
Around £950,000 has been invested into the creation of the team, who, to date, have issued 151 FPNs and 183 written warnings, as well as speaking to almost 1,000 residents and businesses about how to dispose of waste responsibly.
From 2023 to 2024, reports of fly-tipping dropped by 2.15% and requests to clean streets decreased by 21%. Despite the team’s work, the council has received 16,683 requests to remove fly-tipping in a 12-month period, costing taxpayers approximately £1.5m a year.
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John Dunne, managing director of WISE said: “Our core objective is to support Liverpool in achieving long-term improvements in local environmental quality by targeting problem areas using an ‘intelligence-led’ approach.
“This includes the use of geo-fencing technology and responding directly to feedback and complaints from residents. We will employ a firm but proportionate methodology to address environmental offences.”
This, he added, will be underpinned by the use of body-worn cameras and mobile technology to verify offender details and issue fixed penalty notices.
“Our officers are committed to engaging positively with local communities to promote inclusive participation in protecting and enhancing the environment across the city of Liverpool,” said John.