Illicit discharge of dangerous substances

Dumping of hazardous wastes

Nature

Any illegal transaction for the transfer of wastes is a serious violation of the right to a healthy environment and, quite obviously, of the whole set of human rights, whether individual or collective, economic, social and cultural or civil and political.

Background

The global significance of illicit discharge of dangerous substances emerged in the late 20th century, as high-profile incidents—such as the 1986 Sandoz chemical spill and illegal dumping in the Niger Delta—revealed widespread environmental and health impacts. International concern intensified with the detection of hazardous waste trafficking across borders, prompting regulatory responses like the Basel Convention (1989). Ongoing discoveries of clandestine discharges continue to underscore the persistent and evolving nature of this transboundary problem.

Incidence

It was reported in 1991 that while the annual production of toxic waste in Italy was 10 to 15 million tonnes, authorized plants could deal with just 1.2 million tonnes. Some 13 to 14 million tonnes of toxic waste were being disposed without any safeguards. Out of 70 million tonnes of all waste, estimated 50 million tonnes was being dumped clandestinely every year.

Claim

The Mafia has moved into Italy's waste disposal trade. Too much waste chasing too few disposal sites equals big money for illicit tippers, and organized crime has jumped in to exploit the chaos. Lorry convoys transport refuse hundreds of kilometres from affluent northern cities to the poorer south, where they secretly tip loads in disused or unguarded landfill sites. The Mafia controls the transport companies. Tipping is done at night, with gangsters overseeing operations from executive cars. Their profits are astronomical.

Counter-claim

The so-called “illicit discharge of dangerous substances” is vastly overblown. Most incidents are minor, with negligible impact on the environment or public health. Strict regulations already exist, making further concern unnecessary. Resources spent worrying about this issue could be better used elsewhere. In reality, the problem is not nearly as significant as activists claim, and it certainly does not warrant the level of attention or alarm it currently receives.