According to experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), illegal waste trading generates profits of up to $18 billion annually. This conclusion was presented in a recent report by the organization.
The document analyzes five main types of waste: electronic and electrical (e-waste), plastic, old vehicles and engines, metal and metal-containing waste, as well as mixed waste.
The illegal turnover of waste causes serious harm to the environment, leading to soil and drinking water pollution with hazardous toxic substances, which in turn threatens public health.
The report also examines the methods used by criminal groups and companies involved in illegal waste trading, noting that oversight of this activity is extremely inadequate. Existing gaps in legislation and limited powers of law enforcement agencies allow criminals to continue their activities with impunity and to reap huge profits.
According to the report, criminal groups are engaged in waste activities on a global scale — from local operations to large-scale intercontinental trafficking. Corporations are also actively involved in this illegal business: some ignore regulatory requirements, others knowingly pay for illegal services, and others combine legal and illegal activities. The analysis shows that both organized crime groups and companies use corruption to conceal illegal waste among legal streams, circumventing inspections through fraudulent schemes, including document forgery, extortion, theft, and money laundering," the report emphasizes.
According to the study, penalties for illegal waste trading are often minimal, while the profits from this activity can be very high. Furthermore, the cost of illegal disposal of toxic waste is significantly lower than legal disposal, creating additional financial incentives for criminals.
