Following the Scrap Metal Dealers Act receiving royal assent at the end of February, the metals recycling industry now has six months to prepare for a robust regulatory framework to be put into place. Local authorities will have to implement an effective licensing system from scratch for scrap metal dealers. The Act, which will become law across England and Wales in October, is an achievement for the metals recycling industry following a campaign to bring legislation up to date and tackle metal theft. However, it can only be implemented if local authorities, the Environment Agency (EA), police and scrap metal dealers work in partnership to make it happen. The revised Act should tackle the exemptions from the ban on cash payments for scrap metal brought in under 2012's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act. The exemption of some operators has created unfair competition for legitimate businesses resulting in a loss of business whilst providing a potential outlet for the disposal of stolen material. The new Scrap Metal Dealers Act will extend the ban on cash payments to all scrap metal dealers.
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