The Car Wash Association has welcomed measures in this week’s King’s Speech it believes will help deter operators of thousands of illegal car hand washes in the UK.
The CWA - a sister organisation of the Petrol Retailers Association - says that the new government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will make the bosses of water companies personally liable for lawbreaking, could “finally trigger” the enforcement needed to stop pollution from improper disposal of foul water.
Approximately 6,000 non-compliant hand car washes are operating, outnumbering legally run sites and “blatantly disregarding” environmental laws, according to the CWA’s executive director Gordon Balmer.
“Holding water company bosses accountable is a necessary step towards ensuring proper environmental practices,” Balmer added.
Balmer also said the Employment Rights Bill - part of dozens of legislative changes outlined in the government’s proposed programme for the upcoming Parliament - was also “essential” to enhance workers’ rights.
He added: “It addresses the serious issue of modern-day slavery that persists in some non-compliant hand car washes. These hand car washes often conceal other illegal activities, such as money laundering and tax evasion.
”These legislative initiatives represent significant progress in protecting our workers and the environment. The CWA is committed to liaising with the government to ensure these measures are effectively implemented and enforced.”
