Modernising environmental law
New civil penalties

Until now, environmental regulation has mainly been based on the use, or threat of, criminal sanctions. This has led to a rigid system geared toward punishment rather than prevention. The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 contains a framework for a range of new civil sanctions for regulatory offences. These new powers came into force on 6 April 2010 and are expected to be exercised from September 2010.

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