Environment Agency

If you are facing Environment Agency investigations contact the specialist regulatory and criminal defence lawyers at Qamar Solicitors urgently.  Whether the matter involves fly tipping, noise nuisance or serious environment offences such as sewage or chemical leakages into a river, we have extensive, specialist knowledge to robustly advise and represent you and your company.

 

Business organisations bear an increasingly heavy regulatory burden, having to comply with numerous rules and regulations ranging from the environment agency, HMRC, and health and safety to trading standards.   We have specialist experience in representing clients being investigated and prosecuted by local authorities and other public authorities including the Environment Agency (EA) for offences - notably under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

 

Immediate assistance

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Our clients often need immediate assistance on-site, for example, if the local authority or EA make an unannounced visit to your premises to carry out investigations without prior warning.  To have the best chance of resisting prosecution or defending your case, it is imperative you contact us straightaway so we can advise you immediately.

 

We can also help and advise you if you have received any of the following:

 

• Notices and works notices

• Prohibition notices (served where there is a risk of environmental damage)

• Suspension of environmental licences

• Variation of licence conditions, injunctions

• Notice of prosecutions, warnings and cautions

 

Prosecution and sentencing

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Most environmental offences are tried by magistrates in the Magistrates’ Court.  Environmental offences can attract serious sanctions and the implications for individuals and businesses are potentially serious.  In 2014, the Government increased the penalties that may be imposed on serious waste disposal offenders and magistrates can now impose higher penalties for serious offenders.  Fly tipping, for instance, is an increasing problem and individuals or businesses could be sentenced severely if convicted. 

 

How can we help?

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If you are being investigated or are prosecuted by the local authority or Environment Agency for environmental offences, contact the regulatory and criminal defence lawyers at Qamar Solicitors immediately for urgent specialist legal advice.  We can assist you early in any investigation, including accompanying you on site when you require.