Title page
Contents
Abstract 4
Résumé 5
Acknowledgements 6
Executive Summary 10
1. Introduction 12
2. Waste crime 15
Waste crime and its socio-economic impacts 16
Drivers behind waste crime 18
Types of waste crime 19
3. Policy responses to improve compliance and enforcement 20
Policy responses for better compliance and enforcement 21
Challenges in compliance assurance 26
4. Digital solutions to support policy responses 29
Online platforms and machine learning help increasing transparency and enhancing compliance promotion 30
Cradle-to-grave databases, GPS tracking devices and forensic data collection tools improve traceability and facilitate compliance monitoring 31
Remote sensing and drones equipped with lasers have potential to ensure intelligence-led investigations and prosecution of waste crime 34
Connecting digital tools can facilitate application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, but this potential is presently underutilised 35
Limitations to using digital technologies for improved environmental compliance 36
5. Policy implications for the use of digital technologies in better enforcement of waste regulation and elimination of waste crime 38
References 40
Figure 1.1. Model of digital transformation enabling better policy design and improved implementation 13
Figure 2.1. Overview of the implementation of waste management provisions 15
Figure 2.2. Negative impacts of waste and related offences 18
Figure 3.1. Four stages of a regulatory policy cycle (outer circle) and corresponding tools (inner circle) 20
Figure 3.2. Outline of enforcement approaches 24
Figure 4.1. Key finding forensic data analysis for illegal waste trafficking 33
Boxes
Box 3.1. Example of good practice on compliance promotion: Limiting the export of used vehicles from the Netherlands to Africa 22
Box 3.2. Example of EU-wide Inspections of Waste Shipments 23
Box 3.3. Good practices of non-compliance responses 25
Box 3.4. Example of an integrated compliance policy (Australian Government) 26
Box 3.5. Findings of the Operational Facility for Fighting Illicit Waste Trafficking (OPFA-Waste) Project 27
Box 3.6. Recommendation from the EU and Global Impact Analysing Methodology (WasteForce project) 28
Box 4.1. Early examples of the application of AI systems to promote compliance with waste law 36