Environmental offences

Environmental criminal law is changing. Enforcement is becoming ever stricter. Breaches of environmental legislation are increasingly seen as real crime, for which prison sentences may also be imposed. In addition, there is often negative publicity. Good legal assistance is therefore vital, especially when the survival of your business is at stake due to intervention by the authorities.

Environmental criminal law lawyer

Examples of where environmental criminal law applies: unlicensed brine discharges into the soil (soil contamination), removing asbestos in breach of the regulations, causing noise nuisance and transporting hazardous substances. Does your case involve waste, workplace safety, or soil, air or water pollution? All of these can lead to inspections, an official police report and a penalty.

Asbestos, EVOA or acting in breach of an environmental permit?

In short: is the environmental police carrying out inspections, is your company suspected of illegal asbestos removal, or is there a suspicion that you are exporting waste in breach of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EVOA)? Then call us. An environmental criminal law lawyer from SKE Advocaten will visit your business and prepare your defence together with you. Our head office is in Leiden, and we have meeting locations in Rotterdam and The Hague – so we are close to you. We give you tips and advice and guide you towards the best possible result. You need not worry about the costs: we make clear arrangements about them in advance. Would you like more information? Call Robert-Jan van Eenennaam.

What penalty will I receive?

If you have to appear before the environmental court, that criminal court decides whether you or your company will be penalised and, if so, what the penalty should be. In addition to extremely high fines and community service orders (not for the company, but for you as a director), courts can also impose prison sentences. Your business may also be shut down – in environmental cases this happens sooner than you might think. If you are acquitted, you or your company will of course not receive any penalty. The criminal defence lawyers of SKE Advocaten in Leiden, Rotterdam and The Hague regularly achieve good results, including acquittals. So call us for advice.