Transnational Waste Trafficking: A Longitudinal Analysis of Global Flows, Enforcement Trends, and Regulatory Shifts

• In Event: GREEN Panel 3, Disrupting Criminal Networks: From Waste to Wildlife

Abstract

Studying waste trafficking flows at a global level is essential due to the inherently transnational nature of waste crime, which exploits regulatory gaps, enforcement disparities, and economic inequalities between countries. A global perspective allows for a more comprehensive assessment of how illicit networks adapt to policy changes and enforcement efforts, ultimately informing more effective international cooperation and regulatory responses to combat this growing environmental and economic threat.

This study examines the evolution of transnational waste trafficking over the past 15 years, analyzing global flows of illegal waste shipments. Using data on detected cross-border waste movements, the research aims to identify trends and transformations within the global waste trafficking network. The primary objective is to assess how enforcement levels have evolved over time and how major historical events, such as the China Ban in 2018, have influenced the illicit trade.

Key questions guiding this analysis include: Which countries have been the main importers and exporters of illegally traded waste? Has enforcement improved in certain regions? How have waste flows shifted in response to critical disruptions like the China Ban? To explore these dynamics, the study employs an original longitudinal dataset to track the evolution of waste flows and enforcement efforts over time.

The added value of this research lies in its unprecedented longitudinal approach to analyzing global waste trafficking, a perspective largely overlooked in existing studies. Additionally, it sheds light on cross-country differences in enforcement strategies and investigative practices over the years—another critical yet under-explored aspect of the literature.

Author

• Serena Favarin, Transcrime / Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore