According to research by experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), illegal waste trade generates profits of up to $18 billion a year. The relevant report examines five key categories of waste: electrical and electronic (e-waste), plastics, old vehicles and engines, as well as metal-containing and mixed waste.
The illegal circulation of these wastes leads to serious environmental problems, including the contamination of drinking water and soil with toxic substances, which harms public health.
The document also analyzes the operations of criminal groups and companies involved in this illegal business. The authors of the study note that there is insufficient regulation in this area. Gaps in legislation and limited law enforcement capabilities allow criminals to reap significant profits and remain unpunished.
As emphasized in the report, criminal groups operate worldwide—from small local operations to large-scale intercontinental schemes. Corporations also frequently participate in the illegal waste trade: some ignore legal norms, others knowingly pay for illegal services, and some combine legal and illegal activities. The study shows that both organized crime groups and companies use corruption to conceal illegal waste within legal streams, circumventing inspections through fraudulent schemes such as document forgery, extortion, theft, embezzlement, abuse of power, and money laundering,” the report states.
It should be noted that penalties for illegal waste trade are often minimal, while the profits from such activities can be extremely high. Furthermore, the cost of illegal disposal of toxic waste is significantly lower than the prices for legal disposal services, creating additional financial incentives for committing crimes in this area.
