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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for illegal waste
11 results foundAuthor: D'Alisa, Giacomo Title: Victims in the "Land of Fires": A case study on the consequences of buried and burnt waste in Campania, Italy Summary: The "Land of Fires" indicates an area in Campania, in the south of Italy were, systematically, since the end of the '80s, toxic wastes have been dumped by organized crime (i.e., camorra, the name for the Neapolitan mafia). Organised crime plays, as a matter of fact, a significant role in the waste management industry; however, organized criminals are not the only players. Although in the public opinion the mafia clans are the most important subjects involved in the illegal waste trafficking, a significant role is also played in this field by many businessmen and firms. Corruption is a crucial element that connects all these actors in the waste sector, characterized by the grant of public licenses and authorizations. Moreover, this sector needs large economic investments and has to face a huge bureaucratic machine, which makes the ground even more fertile for corruption. All these conditions hamper the competition and facilitate the creation and the development of oligopolistic forces, where the strength of mafia intimidation turns out to be particularly effective. The weak (or the absolute lack of) enforcement power at both national and regional levels has been used to explain this widespread illegal situation, but responsibilities actually lie at various governance levels, spanning from inefficient bureaucracy to political patronage and criminal malfeasance. Moreover, the lack of adequate (and effectively enforced) waste management policies has created institutional and regulatory uncertainty which fosters the illegal market of waste. On these premises, with the present case study report we aim to investigate how and why some associations and organizations become a reference point for the victims of those waste-related environmental crimes. The victims of the present analysis are not such ex-lege, but are those people who maintain the status of being victims of illegal waste disposal, and that were identified through several semi-structured interviews. An affiliation networks analysis was developed to study how the victims interacted over time with different associations; the findings obtained allows us to say that victims are strengthening their relationships with local associations in the network and are starting to play an important role to reinforce their socio-political and judicial actions and to combat the illegal practices that can considerably affect their lives. Details: Rome: University of Rome, 2015. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Case study compiled as part of the EFFACE project. Accessed August 21, 2015 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE%20Victims%20in%20the%20Land%20of%20Fires_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Italy URL: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE%20Victims%20in%20the%20Land%20of%20Fires_0.pdf Shelf Number: 136525 Keywords: Illegal WasteMafiaOffenses Against the EnvironmentOrganized CrimePollution |
Author: Idriss, Manar Title: Understanding the damages of environmental crime. Review of the availability of data Summary: This deliverable is the conclusion of Task 1 of work package (WP3) of the FP7 research project "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" EFFACE. The aim of WP3 is to understand the impacts (quantitative and monetary) of environmental crime. The purpose of the first task of WP3, Task 1, was to review and collect data on the extent and impact of different types of environmental crime. It was not at this stage to produce estimates of the impact of environmental crime or otherwise quantify that impact - this is the subject of the subsequent tasks of WP3. Rather, Task 1 was to summarise the data sources available for different types of environmental crime and to summarise the type and extent of the data these sources contain. This review would, therefore, form the basis for determining the appropriate next steps in the WP. A standard table was completed for each report, data source, etc. The table asked for clear information about the data source (including links), its location, geographic and temporal scope as well as methodology used for collection. It also asked for information on whether it provides data on the extent of criminal activity (extent, individuals involved, etc.) and whether the data provide information on qualitative, quantitative and monetary impacts on the environment, society and/or economic impacts. In each case, comments were asked on data quality, etc., where possible. The survey of data sources within Task 1 of WP3 of EFFACE showed that the data on environmental crime are usually highly dispersed with limited detailed data collations. The most likely sources of consolidated data are international institutions (such as Conventions and the EU). However, even here data are often limited. For many Conventions data collation is limited to those data reported by Parties and such data are often limited, of uncertain quality and with significant gaps. At EU level there has been limited data gathering on environmental crime (in contrast to other data sets on environmental quality and pressures). Perhaps the best data set at EU level identified concerned fires. While consolidated data sets are uncommon, there are many examples of data on impacts in specific cases, such as for individual countries, individual instances, sites, etc. As a result it is not possible to provide a robust estimate of the overall impacts of environmental crime. There are simply too many gaps for this to be done with any confidence. Even doing this for certain areas of environmental crime is problematic. Therefore, it is important to focus on quantifying the impacts of environmental crime in areas where there are sufficient data for this to be done robustly and with confidence. Following the examination of the data sets described in this deliverable, the following areas were identified as being most suitable for quantitative and economy analysis, given the availability of data: Waste shipment Fisheries Protected areas Fires Marine incidents This quantitative and economic analysis will form the next stages of work of WP3 and the results will be set out in the next WP3 deliverable in April 2015. Details: Berlin: Ecologic Institute, 2014. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2016 at: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_3.1%20Final%20Report_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_3.1%20Final%20Report_0.pdf Shelf Number: 144941 Keywords: Crimes Against the EnvironmentEnvironmental CrimeFisheriesIllegal WastePollution |
Author: Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Title: System Failure: The UK's Harmful Trade in Electronic Waste Summary: Electronic waste, or e-waste, is the common term for electronic goods at the end of their 'useful life'. Computers, mobile phones and televisions are all types of electronic goods classified as hazardous waste under the Basel Convention, an international treaty regulating cross-border trade in harmful waste. Due to the proliferation of electronic devices and accelerated technology advances, an increasing amount of e-waste is created every year. It is the fastest-growing waste stream in the UK, with more than one million tonnes generated annually. Globally, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates annual production of e-waste to be 50 million tonnes, of which only 10 per cent is recycled. E-waste can be highly hazardous to both the environment and human health due to the substances it contains. A computer processor has an array of dangerous metals and chemicals such as antimony trioxide, polybrominated flame retardants, selenium, cadmium and mercury. Cathode ray tubes (CRT) found in older-style bulky TVs and desktop computers often contains large amounts of lead. As well as potentially harmful materials, e-waste may also contain small amounts of valuable metals such as gold and copper. A range of regulations at the international, regional and national levels govern trade in e-waste. The intent is to promote safe recycling of broken electronic equipment and to enable legitimate trade in used, working equipment. In reality, huge quantities of discarded e-waste end up being illegally traded around the world. The European Union, despite strong legislation, is a major source of e-waste which is illegally exported and dumped in developing countries. An estimated 75 per cent of e-waste generated in the EU, equivalent to eight million tonnes a year, is unaccounted for. The destination countries do not have the infrastructure to recycle e-waste safely. Instead, it is processed manually in scrap yards with no consideration for health and safety. The e-waste is stripped down to components by hand. Copper wires are bundled and set alight to remove flame-resistant coatings, emitting toxic dioxins; CRT monitors are smashed with hammers, releasing plumes of lead and cadmium dust. After the useful metals are taken out, leftover parts are often dumped in landfills or rivers, or simply burnt. Poverty in countries where e-waste is illegally dumped often leads to young children being involved in breaking down the electronic goods. The potential health consequences for those involved in this kind of work are dire-reproductive and developmental problems, damaged immune, nervous and blood systems, kidney damage and impaired brain development in children. Much of Europe's e-waste ends up in West Africa, especially Nigeria and Ghana. As developing nations' economies grow so does demand for electronic goods, especially good quality secondhand equipment; yet consignments of such equipment arriving in West African ports are mostly e-waste, with about 75 per cent of the electronic units arriving found to be broken. Importers seem willing to bring in containers mostly filled with e-waste because the demand for electronics is so high that buyers are prepared to purchase untested items. The scale of this trade is enormous; in Nigeria's capital, Lagos, half a million computers arrive every month.6 Much of this export from Europe is carried out by West African nationals, often termed 'waste tourists', with family or business contacts in countries such as the UK. Details: London: EIA, 2011. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2017 at: http://www.greencustoms.org/docs/EIA_E-waste_report_0511_WEB.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.greencustoms.org/docs/EIA_E-waste_report_0511_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 146294 Keywords: Electronic WasteEnvironmental CrimesIllegal TradeIllegal WasteOffenses Against the EnvironmentPollution |
Author: Huisman, J. Title: Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) Summary Report, Market Assessment, Legal Analysis, Crime Analysis and Recommendations Roadmap Summary: The research undertaken by the Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) project found that in Europe, only 35% (3.3 million tons) of all the e-waste discarded in 2012, ended up in the officially reported amounts of collection and recycling systems. The other 65% (6.15 million tons) was either: • exported (1.5 million tons), • recycled under non-compliant conditions in Europe (3.15 million tons), • scavenged for valuable parts (750,000 tons) • or simply thrown in waste bins (750,000 tons). 1.3 million tons departed the EU in undocumented exports. These shipments are likely to be classified as illegal, where they do not adhere to the guidelines for differentiating used equipment from waste, such as the appropriate packaging of the items. Since the main economic driver behind these shipments is reuse and repair and not the dumping of e-waste; of this volume, an estimated 30% is e-waste. This finding matches extrapolated data from IMPEL on export ban violations, indicating 250,000 tons as a minimum and and 700,000 tons as a maximum of illegal e-waste shipments. Interestingly, some ten times that amount (4.65 million tons) is wrongfully mismanaged or illegally traded within Europe itself. The widespread scavenging of both products and components and the theft of valuable components such as circuit boards and precious metals from e-waste, means that there is a serious economic loss of materials and resources directed to compliant e-waste processors in Europe. Better guidelines and formal definitions are required to help authorities distinguish used, non-waste electronic and electrical equipment (such as equipment coming out of use or in post-use storage destined for collection or disposal) from WEEE. Penalties must be harmonised to simplify enforcement in trans-border cases. Organised crime is involved in illegal waste supply chains in some Member States. However, suspicions of the involvement of organised crime in WEEE are not corroborated by current information. Increased intelligence will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue. Importantly, case analysis of illegal activities outlines that vulnerabilities exist throughout the entire WEEE supply chain (e.g. collection, consolidation, brokering, transport, and treatment). Offences include: inappropriate treatment, violations of WEEE trade regulations, theft, lack of required licenses/permits, smuggling, and false load declarations. To address vulnerabilities more coherent multi-stakeholder cooperation is essential. For this purpose a recommendation roadmap with short, medium, and long term recommendations has been developed. These recommendations aim to reduce illegal trade through specific actions for individual stakeholders; to improve national and international cooperation to combat illegal WEEE trade, actions such as: • Increasing involvement, and improving awareness of users in the early stages of the e-waste chain; • An EU-wide ban on cash transactions in the scrap metal trade; • Mandatory treatment of WEEE according to approved standards, and dedicated mandatory reporting of treatment and de-pollution results; • Better targeting, more upstream inspection, and national monitoring; • An Operational Intelligence Management System (OIMS) to support intelligence-led enforcement and identify the risks associated with organised crime groups; • A National Environmental Security Task Force (NEST), formed by different authorities and partners, to enable a law enforcement response that is collaborative and coordinated at national, regional, and international level; and • Dedicated training of judges and prosecutors. Details: Lyon, France: Interpol, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2017 at: http://www.cwitproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CWIT-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.cwitproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CWIT-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 144627 Keywords: Electronic Waste Environmental Crime Illegal Trade Illegal WasteOrganized Crime |
Author: Environment Agency (United Kingdom) Title: Novel Approaches to Waste Crime Summary: Executive Summary The European Pathway to Zero Waste (EPOW) programme has eight actions, five of which are led by the Environment Agency and three by WRAP who took over from the South East England Development Agency in April 2011. One of the actions under the programme is assessing and reporting on novel approaches to tackling waste crime which aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of new public sector led approaches to reducing waste crime and supporting new markets for the reuse of recovered materials. This study reports on the outcomes from a pilot of the best novel approaches. Environmental crime is a high priority area for European Member States; tackling the issue are international networks, working groups and organisations that include the European Commission, Interpol, Europol, Member State regulatory agents and a wide range of specific task force groups. These bodies are set up to deliver programmes that address and implement waste crime reduction measures. In its 2011 EU Organised Crime Threat Assessment Report however, Europol notes that "substantial intelligence gaps (in the area of waste crime) preclude comprehensive assessment of organised crime activity in this area". The intelligence on European waste crime notes: - Illegal waste activities within the EU are organised and sophisticated networks with clear division of roles with some organised gangs making billions of Euros per year; - Waste brokers feeding these networks can also be part of and embedded within the legal waste management system, appearing to be operating legitimate businesses; - Complexity in the legal waste management system facilitates rather than prevents criminal activity; and - There are substantial financial burdens borne by affected Member States (e.g. those where the illegal dumping and disposal are occurring), which intelligence suggests to be south-east and eastern Member States plus those countries that share a border with these Member States (e.g. Albania). As a consequence of globalisation, enhanced market development and trade outside the EU, the flow of waste around Europe and outside its borders has become larger, more complex and significantly more costly to police. Rises in the number of conventions, Directives and state laws have, to some degree and with varying success, been instruments to ensure proper re-use, recovery, recycling and disposal of wastes. Waste recovery, management and disposal remains a sector where illegal activity and criminal organisations freely operate, often making large financial gains from their activities to the detriment of legitimate businesses, the common market and society at large. This document, focusing on the reused and recovered waste tyre market, reports on the current size of the EU, UK and South East of England tyre market, followed by a number of public sector led case studies illustrating novel approaches to reducing waste tyre crime. This study has identified that there are several commonly accepted motivators for tyre crime including: financial gain, convenience, opportunism, market dynamics/demand, lack of a threat of being caught and lenient sentences/punishment for offences. The novel approaches identified as part of this study commonly use an intelligence-led approach, whereby data gathered proactively is used to tackle crime on a number of fronts. Novel approaches can involve new partnerships, new approaches and intervention points, sharing of information and multi-agency collaboration, targeting different players in the supply chain and pairing crime enforcement action with awareness raising to stop crime occurring. It also involves mechanisms to support secondary waste market development, tackling one of the key sources - the waste itself - making it a valuable resource rather than a material to discard at lowest cost. The intelligence-led approach is now a widely accepted methodology for profiling organised waste crime and coordinating surveillance, awareness-raising and ultimately building a case for enforcement and prosecution. The case studies examined within this report use this intelligence-led approach to help tackle waste crime - they go beyond reactive policing. The demonstrable advantages of this approach include multi-agency collaboration giving access to pooled resources with greater breadth and depth, sharing intelligence and information to take fast action on emerging crime problems, engaging with and gathering knowledge from the general public and businesses and making decisions on allocating resources where the best outcomes can be anticipated. Details: Reading, UK: Environment Agency, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/289927/geho0312bwdy-e-e.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/novel-approaches-to-waste-crime Shelf Number: 154277 Keywords: Case StudiesCriminal NetworksEnvironmental CrimeEuropean Pathway to Zero Waste (EPOW)EuropolIllegal DumpingIllegal WasteIntelligence-LedInteragency CollaborationOrganized Crime Threat Assessment ReportSupply ChainTire MarketUnited KingdomWaste CrimeWaste Recovery |
Author: Viazanko, Andrea Title: Predictive Model of Illegal Dumpsites in Westmoreland and York Counties, Pennsylvania Summary: This geographic information systems (GIS) model uses land use, road distance, population density, and slope to create a predictive surface for the likelihood of illegal trash dumpsites. Using existing literature, illegal dumpsites are found along roads at the fringes of populated areas in vacant lots and wooded areas. Some sites are found over hillsides where the trash is concealed. Weighting the factors for areas more likely to have dumpsites and combining the layers in a GIS creates a map of areas less likely and more likely to have dumpsites. Westmoreland and York counties are chosen as case studies because of their similar size and demographics. The results of the model accurately predict over 90% of existing dumpsite locations in both counties. Details: Indiana, PA: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2017. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 1, 2019 at: https://knowledge.library.iup.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2468&context=etd Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://knowledge.library.iup.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2468&context=etd Shelf Number: 155257 Keywords: Environmental Crime Illegal Dumping Illegal WasteOffences Against the Environment Pollution |
Author: Denmark. Ministry of Environment and Food Title: Import restrictions on used electric and electronic equipment Summary: This guidance is for exporters of used electric and electronic equipment (used EEE). The guidance gives you an overview of countries with import restrictions on used EEE. An import restriction means that you should not export used EEE to this country. In some countries it is forbidden to import used EEE. In other countries the used EEE must fulfill various technical criteria in order to be legal to import. Please be aware that the list of countries in this guidance is not necessarily complete and that the rules in the listed countries can change. Other countries may have import restrictions on used EEE. You should always check with the receivers of your used EEE that it is legal to import to their country. The Danish authorities cannot stop an export of used EEE to a country with import restrictions, but they can warn the authorities in the receiving country that a shipment that might be illegal to import is on its way. Furthermore, please be aware of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency's general guidance on exports of used EEE. In this guide you can find a general description of the rules on shipments of used EEE. These rules concern packaging, test of functionality and documentation etc. Countries with import restrictions on used EEE have these restrictions for a reason. They want to stop illegal shipments of waste disguised as used EEE. Waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) contains hazardous substances that can be harmful to humans and to the environment. Therefore, WEEE must only be treated at specialized waste treatment facilities. Details: Copenhagen: Danish Environmental Protection Agency, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Guidance Document No. 15: Accessed April 19, 2019 at: https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2016/01/978-87-93435-07-0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2016/01/978-87-93435-07-0.pdf Shelf Number: 155467 Keywords: E-Waste Electronic Waste Environmental Crime Illegal WasteOffenses Against the Environment Pollution |
Author: Baker, James Title: Pollution in the Ocean: Everything Flows Downhill Summary: In May 2009, the Aquarium brought together a group of leading marine scientists, informal educators, communicators, exhibit designers, and public policy experts to identify and explore major ocean issues and to develop documents and strategies to engage the public in these issues. Support for the conference was provided by NOAA, NSF, Southern California Edison, the Marine Conservation Research Institute of the Aquarium of the Pacific, Kings Seafood, and Santa Monica Seafood. The first four reports - (1) Coastal Hazards, (2) Ecosystems and Fisheries, (3) Critical Condition: Ocean Health and Human Health, and (4) Pollution-are based very loosely on booklets in the National Academies Ocean Science Series which can be found at http://dels.nas.edu/osb. Other reports based upon the conference will be added to this Aquarium of the Pacific website. Details: S.L.: 2009. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/images/mcri_uploads/Pollution-Ocean.pdf Year: 2009 Country: International URL: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/mcri/info/pollution_in_the_ocean_everything_flows_downhill/forums Shelf Number: 155478 Keywords: Environmental Crime Green CriminologyIllegal Dumping Illegal WasteMarine PollutionOffences Against the Environment Pollution |
Author: Basel Action Network Title: The Summary: INTRODUCTION The BAN e-Trash Transparency Project In 2016, BAN published its groundbreaking reports entitled "Disconnect: Goodwill and Dell, Exporting the Public's E-Waste to Developing Countries," (May) and "Scam Recycling: e-Dumping on Asia by US Recyclers," (September). These reports followed several years of research, development and implementation of GPS/cell phone-based tracking technology. They involved placing 205 different GPS tracking devices inside of old printers, LCD, and CRT monitors, delivering them to US charities, retailers and recyclers and following them to their endpoints across the globe. Such research activities and subsequent publication of the results can be said to be a form of citizen enforcement because the trade of hazardous wastes, including most electronic waste, to developing countries from developed countries is illegal under international norms (Basel Convention) and under laws of most developed countries. Certainly, under the rules of the Basel Convention, it is illegal for developing countries to import hazardous e-wastes from the United States. 96% of the exports revealed by BAN 's 2016 study were deemed as likely illegal. The study as summarized in "Scam Recycling" witnessed 34% of the 205 deployments moving offshore with 31% of the total going to developing countries. Looking at those that were exported only 93% of the exports went to developing countries. 87% to Asia, 3% to Africa and 1% to the Middle East, and 1% to the Latin America/Caribbean region. 7% moved to the developed countries of Mexico and Canada. Most of the exports ended up in Hong Kong's rural northern area called New Territories. BAN's investigators visited GPS locations where the trackers ended up and found hundreds of e-waste junkyards in New Territories where the hazardous equipment is unfortunately smashed by hand, exposing workers to dangerous mercury laden dust, vapors and hazardous toners. Much of the e-waste was simply dumped in fields and wastelands. Of the 152 trackers delivered directly to recyclers and not to charities, 40% were exported significantly higher than the 15% rate for the 53 trackers delivered to charities or retailers. In the course of the entire pathways (chains) of the 205 tracker movements, the trackers passed through the hands of 168 different identifiable US recyclers. Of these companies, over 45% were part of a movement that went offshore (export chain). That study revealed also that R2 certified recyclers had a higher-than-average export rate. Uncertified recyclers had a lower-than-average export rate, and e-Stewards Certified Recyclers had the lowest average export rate of all three categories. With respect to the Certifications held by the "last holder" (apparent exporter), R2 exceeded e-Stewards 9-1. Finally, the report reveals the false claims and "green washing" of many of the companies that claim that they never would allow the public's waste electronics to be exported. The complete reports and media generated from them, including the PBS Newshour video segment that followed BAN to Hong Kong, can be found on our website's Trash Transparency Project pages. These reports include in detail, a full disclosure of the study findings including lists of all companies involved, the environmental harm caused, methodology, conclusions, and recommendations. BAN's work tracking e-waste in the United States and around the world with GPS trackers continues. BAN's ethical recycling certification program known as e-Stewards now uses trackers routinely to verify performance of the trade requirements in the standard (e.g. no export of hazardous e-waste to developing countries). At the same time, BAN continues to deploy trackers across North America to reveal for consumers and lawmakers alike, the illegal and/or unethical trade practices of some recyclers. It is our intention to continue to report on these trackers. The most recent deployment involved 60 trackers deployed in Texas, Georgia, and Florida in the US. 31 of these were R2 Certified (52%), 4 were both e-Stewards and R2 (6.66%), 1 was eStewards only (1.67 percent), and 24 were uncertified (40%). On September 6 of 2017, the first update of new tracker findings since our September 15, 2016 report was published. In that report we revealed 16 more chains of export (15 LCD monitors and one printer) involving 7 target recycling companies. 5 of these were in California, one in Ohio and one in Texas. An additional two companies (Skill Office Machines and VKL Exports) were also identified. Details: Seattle, Washington: Basel Action Network, 2017. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: http://wiki.ban.org/images/1/13/TheScamRecyclingContinuesUpdate_1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: https://www.ban.org/trash-transparency Shelf Number: 155487 Keywords: E-Waste Electronic Waste Environmental Crime Green CriminologyHazardous Waste Illegal Dumping Illegal Waste Offences Against the Environment Pollution Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment WEEE |
Author: Palmer, Hayley Title: Illegal Export of e-Waste from Australia: A Story Told by GPS Trackers Summary: In September and October of 2017 BAN deployed 35 pieces of non-functional electronic waste equipment including CRT monitors, LCD monitors and printers with GPS trackers imbedded within them across Australia. All of the equipment qualified under the Basel Convention as hazardous waste. 14 units of equipment were deployed in the Brisbane area, 13 in the Sydney area, 3 in Adelaide, and 5 in Perth. Out of these 35 trackers 2 were exported (5.71%), 1 moved to a seaport and was likely exported (2.86%), 11 moved to a Recycler (31.4%), 4 moved to a landfill (11.4%), 7 never moved, (20%), 6 had no signal after delivery (17.1%) and 2 moved to an unknown location (5.71%). 2 are still reporting regularly and the rest have gone quiet, meaning they could be bulldozed into a landfill, buried deep in a warehouse, or shredded or disassembled by a recycler. Exports from OfficeWorks -- Three of the devices appear to have been exported, with two definitely going to Hong Kong's New Territories area. Both of these were LCDs monitors from the Brisbane area and one of these was later re-exported to an e-waste processing facility in Thailand. The two exported LCDs were deployed at different OfficeWorks stores in the Brisbane area. Officeworks' "Bring I.T Back" as a "Drop Zone" location is an official Australian Government public drop-off location that the public is encouraged to use for their electronic recycling. Officeworks, according to their website, considers itself to be a very sustainable company. The third device, another LCD left at Endeavor Foundation Industries, another government approved e-waste dropoff location, last signaled at a container dock at the port of Brisbane and was likely exported- though it has yet to signal again. Site Visits BAN traveled to the two locations in Asia where the two exported LCDs ended up. Both of these, without showing any other stopping points after their respective OfficeWorks deliveries, were joined in one intermodal container and shipped to the Ping Che area of New Territories, Hong Kong. Ping Che is an infamous area of Hong Kong for e-waste trafficking where most commonly undocumented laborers are involved in the crude and harmful breakdown of the equipment, often exposing them to dangerous toner dust, and, in the case of LCDs -- the toxic metal mercury. However, when we visited the location a few months after the arrival of the LCDs, there was no trace of e-waste in the facility - apparently, it had been cleaned out and one of the tracked devices stopped signaling. The other one, however, we visited its second location in Thailand. In Thailand that LCD monitor arrived at a location that was involved in crude smelting of circuit boards, creating deadly dioxins and furans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Illegal Exportation There can be little doubt that these exports were illegal due to the fact that all three countries concerned, Australia, China (including Hong Kong), and Thailand are all parties to the Basel Convention. Due to the presence of mercury in the backlights of these LCD monitors and the lead in the circuit boards of the monitors, and because the equipment was rendered non-functional, the equipment was clearly a hazardous waste under the definitions of the Basel Convention. As such, all exports would require that they be notified prior to export by the government of Australia and consented to by the initially receiving government of Hong Kong. Thailand, in recent weeks, has made it abundantly clear that they are not happy receiving e-waste imported illegally en masse to primitive processing facilities that have been springing up all over their territory following China's own importation ban (see Current Trends in the e-Waste Trade). Details: Seattle, Washington: Basel Action Network, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: http://wiki.ban.org/images/7/7c/Australian_e-Waste_Report_-_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ban.org/trash-transparency Shelf Number: 155489 Keywords: AustraliaE-Waste Electronic Waste Environmental Crime Green CriminologyHazardous Waste Illegal Dumping Illegal Waste Offences Against the Environment Pollution Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment WEEE |
Author: Beasley Associates Title: Tip of the Binberg: Exploring the Full Cost of Waste Crime in Greater Manchester Summary: Beasley Associates and RGR were commissioned by Dsposal, supported by the GC Business Growth Hub, to deliver a study on waste crime in Greater Manchester with a focus on flytipping. The research assessed the costs of waste crime in the region, considered why and how waste crime happens, analysed public awareness of their legal duties with waste and identified opportunities to intervene, recognising that local authorities, businesses and communities are tackling the challenge and building momentum for their efforts. Fly-tipping is a significant and persistent problem in Greater Manchester, with local authorities reporting nearly 53,000 separate incidents in 2016/17 - 144 incidents for every single day of the year, producing an estimated average of nearly 20,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste that year. This endemic illegal activity has a notable negative effect on the Greater Manchester economy. It cost the councils of Greater Manchester nearly 4.9 million pounds in 2016/17 in clearance and enforcement costs, with the revenue from fines and Fixed Penalty Notices barely making a dent in this cost. In addition, a conservative average estimate of around 750,000 pounds represents income lost by not recycling these materials and further to this, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs loses out on VAT and Income Tax on an element of the estimated 3 million pounds a year generated in cash sales by 'man and a van' operators providing waste clearance services in and around Greater Manchester. The circumstances in which this persistent but relatively low-level waste crime breeds are encouraged by the prioritisation by the public of low cost and convenience when choosing waste clearance services (as evidenced by the research commissioned from YouGov), rather than compliance with the public's Duty of Care. Awareness of public legal obligations on waste is low and confused and this is capitalised upon by several 'man and van' waste clearance operators who obfuscate even the best-intentioned members of the public trying to 'do the right thing' and deal with their waste properly and legally. The councils of Greater Manchester are tackling the challenge of fly-tipping and have achieved some success despite the severe restrictions on the resources available to them and the limited effect so far of national campaigns to raise awareness of legal responsibilities on waste for business and householders alike. To make further headway in tackling fly-tipping across Greater Manchester requires all those with an interest to collaborate and build on the substantial efforts already being made in the face of an endemic problem. We have offered some broad recommendations for further consideration. a) Highlight the cost of fly-tipping clearance in any new communications campaigns, as this is money that could be better spent on other local authority services. This approach of using hard hitting financial facts does seem to resonate and find traction with residents who may be less receptive to environmental campaigns. b) Seek to recover more of the costs of clearance through fines and enforcement activities, which presently contribute only modestly towards the total costs. This will require a greater investment in enforcement activities, however it is possible for a sound business case to be developed based on future cost avoidance. c) Devise new communications to localise messages about the importance of staying within the law and being aware of Carriers' Licences and Waste Transfer Notes. This could include targeted social and print media advertising, alongside the waste clearance adverts so that they have prominence in juxtaposition to the classified advertisements and social media pages. d) Focus general communications activity on the need for local action, and highlight distinctive local issues such as back alleys, utilising the existing good practice work of agencies such as Keep Britain Tidy and well developed local campaigns such as Hertfordshire Waste Partnership's Fly-Tipping Campaign. e) Engage the Environment Agency (EA) by consistently supporting them with intelligence on illegal operators, including reporting advertisers erroneously using the EA logo to gain credibility for their service. f) Simplify how householders and businesses can access quality assured information about legal, compliant collectors and waste managers. This could involve some form of validation service for collectors and operators, involving a new collaboration between the GMCA, the ten local district authorities of Greater Manchester, the Environment Agency, representative trade bodies such as the ESA and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, utilising the expertise of service providers such as Disposal. g) Further research should be commissioned which investigates the true level of knowledge and understanding amongst businesses about their duty of care and explores their main drivers in terms of selecting disposal services. This will provide evidence to judge whether there is any parity between the householder view and local businesses and help provide focus for any subsequent targeted campaign work. Details: Manchester, England: Beasley Associates & Ray Georgeson Resources for Disposal & GC Business Growth Hub, 2018. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: https://ciwm-journal.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Tip-of-the-Binberg-Full-Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://dsposal.uk/articles/tip-of-the-binberg/ Shelf Number: 156039 Keywords: Environmental CrimeFly-tippingIllegal DumpingIllegal WasteOffences Against the EnvironmentWaste Management |