Features of transnational illicit waste trafficking and crime prevention strategies to tackle it

The Global Waste Trafficking and Its Correlates

“…However, more recently, Nobles (2019) has argued that this aforesaid point about the lack of suitable data sets has been overstated, and that in fact there are a variety of secondary data readily accessible through which to investigate many aspects of different justice systems’ responses to environmental crimes. While this is indeed true with respect to the United States, it is not necessarily the case in other countries across the world (Andreatta & Favarin, 2020; Stassen & Ceccato, 2020). Both Lynch et al (2017) and Lynch and Pires (2019) have recently lamented the scarce attention that has been directed toward quantitative analyses of relevant environmental crimes.…”

“…They qualitatively analyzed the regulatory framework for waste shipments from the European Union to third countries, particularly China, the different actors involved in the trafficking, and the difficulties experienced by law enforcement agencies in tackling transfrontier IWT. Finally, building upon the work of Sahramäki and colleagues (2017), Andreatta and Favarin (2020) deepened extant knowledge about the different characteristics of the various stages of cross-border IWT from Italy to third countries. Through conducting a crime script analysis of five judicial cases, the authors shed light on the characteristics of the different stages of transnational IWT (i.e., creation, collection, storage, transport, treatment, and disposal).…”

“…All in all, empirical research on transnational IWT has hitherto primarily focused on delineating the actors, modi operandi , and problems associated with, as well as proposals for, tackling the phenomenon. Given the aforementioned paucity of data on waste crimes and illicit waste shipments, the analyses conducted in prior studies either only considered the national dimension of IWT (Germani et al, 2015; Massari & Monzini, 2004) or were narrow in their scope (Bisschop, 2012; Spapens et al, 2018) and relied mainly on case studies (Andreatta & Favarin, 2020; Sahramäki et al, 2017). Despite the undoubted value of this research, the results of these analyses failed to grasp the transnational dimension of IWT at a global level.…”

“…In light of this, countries that exchange large amounts of commodities are also more likely to trade/traffic in waste. Moreover, businesses operating in the legal waste sector who have excellent knowledge of the waste market and its complex licensing system, also ordinarily manage the supply of illicit services (Andreatta & Favarin, 2020; Sahramäki et al, 2017). For this reason, preexisting legal and economic connections between countries play an important role in shaping illegal trade.…”

“…1 For example, it can involve entrepreneurs in the legitimate economy who decide to turn to the black market, or, alternatively, organized crime groups operating in the waste sector who are seeking to reduce costs (e.g., avoiding the treatment costs) and generate further profit (e.g., illegally reselling the waste) by avoiding the duties associated with the correct and environmentally sound treatment of waste. Offenders smuggle, either directly or via the help of intermediaries, their waste through false declarations and documentation, concealment, and other illicit methods that deleteriously affect the environment, as well as jeopardizing human health, and weakening countries’ legitimate economies (Andreatta & Favarin, 2020; Morganti et al, 2020; Sahramäki et al, 2017). Both academics and international organizations have recognized the threat posed by IWT, along with highlighting the importance of studying its transnational dimension (Elliott & Schaedla, 2016; United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009).…”