Waste Crime - Waste Risks: Gaps in Meeting the Global Waste Challenge

Waste management landscape The global waste market sector from collection to recycling is estimated at USD 410 billion a year (UNEP 2011), excluding a very large informal segment. As in any large economic sector, there are opportunities for illegal earnings at different stages of legal operations, with both monetary and ethical implications. The exploiters of these opportunities range from organized transnational crime to small groups or individuals (Europol 2015, 2013). Illegal and illicit trade of waste takes advantage of weak spots, such as the low overall possibility of controlling the trade, the price of waste treatment, and the complexity of waste-related legislation.

The waste sector, under different scenarios, could employ between 23 and 26 million people by 2050 (UNEP 2011) since the amount of waste is gradually growing. Many actors are involved in waste management, and the landscape is complex. The line of trade involves waste generators, waste collectors, waste management companies, transport and ship- ping companies, waste treatment operators, shipping agents, and waste brokers. The value chain of waste trade from producers to recycling, energy recovery, or other disposal operations, such as landfills, might be difficult to control. Recycling companies may not always have full knowledge of the final recipients of the waste. In some instances, they might have the impression that the waste is being handled legally, without having the incentive or capacity to investigate further. Waste traders, brokers, and recyclers are required to have legal documents, although investigations have showed that in several cases documents were falsified. Conducting responsible waste business may be challenging. Waste crime is different from other criminal activities, such as trade in drugs, as it takes place in the context of a much broader chain of legal operations, with advantage being taken of loopholes in control regimes and control capacity. A link between the illegal waste trade and organized crime has been mentioned in many studies. 6 Several case analyses have revealed that legal players are involved in the illegal waste trade (EFFACE 2015). At times, fraudulent activities are hidden within prominent waste companies that promote green and sustainable management, have ISO certification, and have even won awards for their work. Small, informal groups of people, more opportunity-based, are also involved in the illegal trade of waste. In the European Union, competent authorities are required by legislation to maintain an overview of waste traders and dealers. However, in some countries, establishing a waste business is almost effortless, while tracing its components is challenging. The international waste trade itself is a busi- ness activity that requires profound technical and legal know­

ledge. For example, operators need to know about their obli- gations to apply for permits and about recipient countries’ regulations. These permits and regulations are important in ensuring the accountability of the industry. In some European countries, there is growing demand for illegal waste services, especially with regard to waste intended for export 7 (EURO- 6. See for example: Bisschop, L. (2012). Is it all going to waste? Illegal transports of e-waste in a European trade hub. In Crime Law and Social Change (2012) 58:221–249. Available from: https://biblio.ugent.be/publi- cation/2967255 EFFACE (2015). Illegal shipment of e-waste from the EU. Available from: http://www.ecologic.eu/sites/files/publication/2015/efface_illegal_ship- ment_of_e_waste_from_the_eu_0.pdf Osservatorio Nazionale Ambiente e Legalità (Legambiente) (2014). Ecomafia 2014: le storie e i numeri della criminalità ambientale. Available from: http://www.legambiente.it/sites/default/files/docs/premessa_0.pdf 7. Swedish police interviewed on Sveriges Radio (Swedish Radio). Avail- able from: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&ar- tikel=6047905 and http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid= 83&artikel=6065449

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