Dozens of illegal dump operators are set to face the courts over the coming months as part of a crackdown on unauthorised landfill sites.
Farmers, landowners and businesses are among those being prosecuted for waste crime in cases that range from unauthorised infilling to the operation of large illegal dumps.
News of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency's pending prosecutions in 31 cases comes as new figures show that 62 illegal landfill sites have been identified across the north in the past four years.
The alarming statistic was revealed by environment minister Mark H Durkan in response to an assembly question.
The former Down District Council topped the league table for illegal dumping sites, with eight such locations identified since 2011.
In the former Derry City Council area, where one of the largest illegal waste deposits in Europe was uncovered in 2013, seven illegal sites were found, while in Newry and Mourne there were six unauthorised dumps.
Green Party MLA Steven Agnew welcomed news of the prosecutions.
He claimed poor enforcement of regulations in the past had allowed many illegal sites to flourish.
However, he said a public inquiry into the extent of illegal dumping across the north had yet to materialise due to the Stormont executive's failure to agree on its remit and funding.
"Northern Ireland is home to one of the largest illegal landfill sites in Europe and this is not something to be proud of," Mr Agnew said.
"I believe such environmental vandalism will continue until we take measures to tackle the problem – this includes allocating resources to enforce existing regulation, joined-up agency working and not turning a blind eye to dumping of waste."
A spokesman for NIEA said the agency was committed to dealing robustly with environmental crime and pointed to 14 successful prosecutions over the past four years, along with 31 pending prosecutions relating to illegal landfill sites.
He said unscrupulous individuals continued to risk environmental and other damage in order to avoid costs or to make money.
"We already receive significant public support, but we can always do with more and we encourage the public to report any instances of illegal dumping or other waste crime and environmental damage," the spokesman said.
"It is only with the combined effort of statutory agencies and the public that we can make inroads into the waste criminality which is a blight on our society."
