Whether we’re diligent separators or hurl everything in landfill, few people consider that their trash will become treasure for Europe’s criminal gangs.

But that’s the reality across the continent, with the EU’s law enforcement agency, Europol, warning that „waste trafficking is intensifying with a projected further growth in scale and sophistication” in their 2025 „Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment.” Despite that, Europol refused to answer a series of questions from DW on the matter, citing other priorities.

Much of this intensification comes from criminal gangs, according to Europol. These operate by finding ways to bypass domestic and commercial waste disposal contracts, exploiting those open to corruption at all stages of the waste disposal process, falsifying documents and crossing borders to take advantage of slacker law enforcement. It is a black market Europol describe as „low-risk high-profit margin” for criminals.

These groups are a mix of traditional organized crime networks and opportunistic legal businesses exploiting inefficiencies and loopholes, causing a significant headache for the various EU agencies responsible for enforcement of environmental crime.

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