Event

No Time to Waste Strengthening waste trade integrity for circular economy and security

The global waste market, valued at EUR 1 trillion in 2024, is expanding rapidly. For the EU,

sustainable waste management is a strategic opportunity to boost innovation, jobs, and

investment in the circular economy. The upcoming Circular Economy Act will further

accelerate reuse, recycling, and the transformation of waste into valuable secondary raw

materials.

However, transnational organized crime is increasingly exploiting the waste sector, fuelling

corruption, illicit financial flows and environmental decline. The persistent illegal export of

waste from high-income to low- and middle-income countries remains a critical challenge,

despite regulatory efforts in both origin and destination regions. Many countries still lack

the capacity to effectively prevent, detect, and manage these illegal shipments, leading to

waste being improperly disposed of in illegal landfills, openly burned, or mishandled -

posing severe risks to human health, the environment and the legal economy.

To tackle these challenges, UNODC and UNEP will convene a critical discussion on waste

trade integrity, uniting policymakers, law enforcement, industry leaders, and experts.

Together, we will expose the scale of waste crime, explore solutions to strengthen integrity

in waste trade, and ensure waste is managed as a resource for a secure and circular

economy.