Councils will work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.

Red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles will be removed and waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally.

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.

“That ends today. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.”

Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount since 2018/19.

The Environment Agency will also carry out identity and criminal record checks on operators in the sector so there is nowhere to hide for rogue firms.

Philip Duffy, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said: “Waste crime is toxic. Criminals’ thoughtless actions harm people, places, and the economy, blighting our communities and disrupting legitimate businesses.

“At the Environment Agency, we’re determined to bring these criminals to justice through tough enforcement action and prosecutions.”