Plastic and Hazardous Waste

PLASTIC & HAZARDOUS WASTE

The illicit trafficking of plastic and hazardous waste is an ever-growing threat that endangers the environment, health and economic development. Trafficking includes electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste), low-quality scrap plastic, ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and end-of-life vehicles (ELV).

Weak regulatory framework, poor enforcement and awareness, added to a multiplicity of actors in the various stages of the waste chain, contributes to the vulnerability for illegal transboundary movements of hazardous waste and other waste.

CCP works with Member States to address this increasing challenge, offering specialized training to target suspicious containers and to promote an inter-agency approach to address such crimes.

What is the issue?

Plastic and hazardous waste crime consists of improper management of waste (collection, transport, storage, or disposal), as well as its illegal trade and movement.

Mislabelled plastic waste of low quality is among the most frequently trafficked types of waste. Other types include electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste), ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and end-of-life vehicles (ELV).
Control and tracking of low-quality scrap plastic remains a challenge for authorities.
Law offenders take advantage of the lack of transparency and abundance of actors in the plastic waste trade, including waste traders, dealers, and transport and recycling companies.
The large-scale transport of illicit hazardous waste is often enabled by employing sophisticated concealment methods and/or intermingling illicit and legitimate materials.
Furthermore, hazardous waste is often custom-coded as second-hand products, allowing the materials to avoid customs regulations and relevant international conventions.

How do we help?

To tackle plastic and hazardous waste crimes, our priorities are to assist Member States in building technical capacity and strengthening cooperation related to the trafficking of waste.

CCP has developed an advanced training programme delivered to PCUs, selected customs and law enforcement officials and other relevant agencies who play an important role in border control and waste control.
The advanced specialized training will allow participating Member States to better protect the health of local communities and the environment, secure the legitimate supply chain, and collect vital taxes crucial to development.
Enhancing inter-agency cooperation: CCP encourages and facilitates cooperation and information sharing, for example, through joint inspections between PCUs and other relevant agencies. The programme also brings relevant law enforcement agencies and PCUs closer to the private sector and national counterparts.

United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

PLASTIC & HAZARDOUS WASTE

What is the issue?

How do we help?