WCO and UNODC launch new Project to enhance capacity for detecting illegal shipments of plastic and hazardous waste
On 15 June 2021, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched the "CCP Project on Countering Illegal Hazardous Waste Trafficking". Its purpose is to improve the capacity of customs administrations and other enforcement agencies to counter illegal shipments of plastic and hazardous waste, specifically in the cargo supply chain.
The Project will address existing gaps in the enforcement of regulations relating to the movement of waste. As such, the Project is part of the Container Control Programme (CCP) under which WCO and UNODC have established and provided training to Port Control Units (PCUs) and Air Cargo Control Units (ACCUs) at seaports and airports. This training proved successful since, in 2020, national law enforcement officers from PCUs and ACCUs managed to seize more than 630 metric tons of waste.
On the day of the launch, Mr. Stig Traavik, Director of the Department for Climate, Energy and Environment at the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, which financially supports the project, declared that “by stopping shipments of hazardous waste, we can prevent hazardous materials ending up in places where they contaminate the environment and pose health risks to people”. Therefore, the Project will not only provide technical assistance on illicit trade and boarder security, but will also highlight both the human and environmental aspects of illegal trade to foster more appropriate and effective responses from customs administrations.
For additional information, please visit the WCO website.
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