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The initiative brought together the county's fly-tipping forum, Environment Agency (EA) officers, Trading Standards and the police. Karen Sulway, environmental protection officer for Cannock  Chase District Council, says the team focused on nine vehicles, some of which it had received intelligence on. One vehicle stopped had no waste carrier licence and the EA is now investigating the company.

Staffordshire Police are also investigating two other vehicles which had defective tyres and lights. Sulway says three prosecutions taking place at the moment concerning fly-tippers. She adds: "We have a problem in the area at certain hot spots. Cannock Chase has a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and we will prosecute."

Cannock Chase councillor Tony Williams says: "Staffordshire fly-tipping forum's enforcement initiative was important as it sends out the message that we will are vigilant in ensuring vehicles carrying trade waste are properly licensed. There are an estimated 50,000 incidences of fly-tipping across the country each year at a cost of £100m-£150m to clean  up.