The Environment Police Unit under the microscope … |19 September 2016

Have you ever noticed those officers stopping trucks with uncovered loads of rocks, sand and aggregates? Have you seen officers dressed in blue issuing litter fines in town area? Have you ever wondered who they are and what their main roles are?

Well these are the Environment Police Officers from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change. The Environment Enforcement Unit, more commonly known as the Environment Police Unit, has been in existence since 2008. This unit sits within the Standards and Enforcement Section. With more recent restructuring within the ministry this section now falls under the Environment Department, more specifically under the Waste, Enforcement and Permits Division.

A closer look at the officers and their roles

The unit headed by a director and a chief environment police officer, comprises 10 officers who perform all enforcement duties related to pollution control, prevention and abatement as is prescribed in the overarching Environment Protection Act 1994 (EPA). The daily work of these officers include investigation of complaints and cases of illegal dumping; solid waste management inspection; foot patrol in town area for littering; preparedness and response to oil spill incidents; issuing of fixed penalties among others. The officers also assist the Department of Environment in the investigation and compilation of case files for environmental offences. The officers also respond to certain Greenline cases.

Not to be confused with Public Health Authority (Sanniter)

The officers also work closely with the Public Health Authority in addressing certain sanitation issues. The public often mistake the Environment Police Officers for the Public Health Officers. The major difference is that we deal with cases that directly pose threat to the natural environment, looking at things such as soil, air and water pollution and contamination. On the other hand the Public Health Authority focuses mostly on cases that pose threat to human health, for example sanitation issues, domestic sewage and waste water issues.

How do we assist the public?

Generally the public contact us to report cases of improper solid waste disposal, oil spills, water pollution. Say for instance you have a neighbour or know someone who has dumped waste on a private property, then you can contact our section for us to enforce on the offender. The work of the Environment Police is made more effective when there is full cooperation from the public. While there is continuous monitoring around the island it is always helpful when members of the public contact us to report issues that are causing risk to their immediate environment.

How can you find us?

The Standards and Enforcement Section is based at the Botanical Gardens at Mont Fleuri. We can be contacted on 4670500 or 4670475 during working hours in the week. For after hours and over the weekends your issues can be reported to us through the National Greenline number 2721111.

Contributed by Waste, Enforcement and Permits Division (Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change