UN environment at work. Fighting chemical and waste crime

Rapid economic growth is greatly increasing the generation of hazardous and other waste: it is projected to reach 27 billion tons worldwide by 2050. Its movement across boundaries is also on the rise across much of Asia and Africa despite the fact that the Basel Convention requires the country of origin, when exporting hazardous and other wastes, to obtain the written consent of the country receiving them. This is largely due to higher recycling costs in countries of origin than in receiving ones where environmental regulations are less stringent and labour is cheaper.