Polluting industries in Europe take note -- EU officials aren't messing around anymore. Finding the maximum fine of €375,000 insufficient to deter illegal dumping activities, the EU is looking to impose criminal sanctions (aka jail time) for offenders.

Right now only some member nations have opted to send those found responsible for allowing damage to air, water, plants, animals and people to jail, leaving a patchwork of regulations that allow companies to do a cost-benefit analysis of where it's worth polluting. Incarceration times would be left up to each nation.

In the US, states are having a hard enough time paying for the record number of people behind bars. Considering how many companies flout environmental regulations, the US incarceration rate would probably jump to 1 in 50 Americans behind bars if we followed the EU's lead. But, we think this is just the sort of incentive companies need to clean up their acts ... or start buying soap on a rope.