Understanding and disrupting illegal land filling in Northern Ireland

Summary

Illegal dumping of waste poses serious risks to Northern Ireland’s environment, communities, and ecosystems, including the health of Lough Neagh.

This PhD project will adopt a mixed-methods approach to investigate the drivers, opportunity structures, and enforcement gaps that allow illegal dumping to persist.

The study will be supervised by Professor Kristian Lasslett and Dr Dawid Stanczak, who have undertaken pioneering research on deforestation and waste dumping.

Fieldwork will include interviews with regulators, enforcement agencies, policy makers, civil society organisations, and investigative journalists, in order to build a deeper understanding of the conditions that sustain illegal landfilling in Northern Ireland.

These insights will be complemented with case studies documenting successful prosecutions and enforcement actions.

The extensive documentation generated through prosecutions, alongside interviews with key participants, will provide valuable evidence on offender profiles, land dumping methods, and the challenges associated with securing effective enforcement outcomes.

Taken together, these methods will deliver unique insights into how offenders operate, the systemic weaknesses they exploit, and the institutional challenges faced by enforcement agencies and policy makers.

The project aims to generate evidence-based findings to strengthen enforcement, shape environmental policy, and support the restoration of ecosystems such as Lough Neagh.

It is anticipated that this study will make a critical contribution to green criminology, an under-researched area within the discipline which has been identified as a priority topic in the QAA subject benchmarks for criminology.

We welcome applications from candidates with training in mixed-methods research and a keen interest in green criminology. A strong academic track record will be an advantage.

This project offers an opportunity to shape emerging debates in criminology, contribute to an urgent environmental challenge, and develop advanced skills suited to a research career in the academia, government, or civil society.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)

This scholarship will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £21,000* (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum is also available.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National, or

• Have settled status, or

• Have pre-settled status, or

• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter, or

• be an Irish National

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

*Part time PhD scholarships may be available, based on 0.5 of the full time rate, and will require a six year registration period