The international toxic waste trafficking is a rapidly expanding form of environmental crime that remains largely hidden, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Shipments of hazardous waste move across the globe, often concealed in ordinary containers or mislabelled as recyclable materials. This illegal trade drives toxic pollution of water, soil, and oceans, while generating significant profits for criminal networks and some companies, the ONUDC highlighted in its report issued Wednesday.
“Globalization and stricter waste management regulations in developed countries have increased incentives to dispose of waste illegally. Supply chains, often highly fragmented among producers, intermediaries, and recyclers, facilitate fraud, including falsification of documents or mixing hazardous waste with legal flows,” the source added.
According to UNODC, the global waste economy already amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars, and the illegal share amounts to billions each year.
The report also highlights a structural imbalance: “the most expensive waste to treat is frequently exported from the North to the South. In many low-income countries, recycling is carried out under precarious conditions, or waste is dumped in open areas, particularly exposing informal workers and local communities to toxic substances.”
