An INTERPOL report on global plastic waste management, funded by the LIFE SMART Waste Project, has found an alarming increase in illegal plastic pollution trade across the world since 2018. Key findings include an increase in illegal waste fire and landfills in Europe and Asia, a significant rise in the use of counterfeit documents and fraudulent waste registrations, with case studies from each of the contributing countries illustrating the extent and complexity of the problem.  

The report calls for the world’s police community to work together across borders in monitoring this crime, becoming more proactive in waste enforcement, scanning risks earlier, and carrying out financial investigations and intelligence-led operations, which was at the core of the LIFE SMART Waste project.