It was the Norwegian Directorate of the Environment and the Customs Service that discovered four containers fully loaded with environmentally hazardous electronic and electrical waste (EE waste) that were attempted to be sent out of the country from the port of Oslo. Now the Oslo police have fined four people for attempting to illegally export electronic waste to Nigeria. It is the first time the police have fined someone for such environmental crime. Four suspicious containers Among thousands of containers at the port of Oslo, customs found four suspicious containers last autumn. According to the export papers, they were supposed to contain working electrical products on their way to Nigeria in Africa. Translucency showed that the containers probably contained completely different things. The shipment was detained and the environmental authorities were notified. The Norwegian Environment Agency contacted those responsible for the export in the four cases. All four were ordered to empty the containers under the supervision of the Directorate of the Environment. – It is permitted to export used electronics and other items from Norway to Africa, but then the products must work. In these cases, the suspects could not provide satisfactory evidence that they were working products, says section leader Rune Skjold in the Oslo police district. Here is some of the waste that was supposed to be sent to Nigeria to help the poor. Photo: Norwegian Environment Agency The waste is environmentally hazardous rubbish. Photo: ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE Four people have been fined heavily for attempting to illegally export electronic waste to Nigeria. Photo: The Norwegian Environmental Directorate Photo: The Norwegian Environmental Directorate Hazardous waste The inspectors from the Norwegian Environmental Directorate found large quantities of environmentally hazardous electronic waste in the containers: Broken flat screens, freezers packed with small appliances, refrigerators, cookers, stereo systems and car batteries. Huge amounts of cables and wires. Even a car. The inspection also revealed large quantities of defective refrigeration compressors from refrigerators. This type of compressor contains gas which is both very harmful to the climate and can destroy the ozone layer. The Norwegian Environment Agency reported the four to the police, who have launched an investigation. – It is important for society to take care of the environment, so these are serious matters, says Skjold to news. The police have now concluded the investigation and fined two Norwegian citizens, one Polish citizen and one Nigerian citizen. None of them were previously known to the police. Each of them receives a fine of NOK 25,000 and in addition a fee from the Norwegian Environment Agency of NOK 20,500 each. Gifts for family In questioning, those fined admitted to exporting a total of 35 containers of discarded electrical products. The products were allegedly to be given to poor friends and family so that they could sell them. Those fined have explained that they obtained the products partly on Finn.no, and partly at return stations for EE waste. They themselves claim that they did not think they did anything wrong. – We assume that this business has a relatively large scope, but we have not investigated many such cases. It is the first time the investigation has led to a fine, says Skjold in the police. None of the four has yet adopted the proposal. If they do not, the police will consider bringing the cases to court. The penalty for the offenses is up to two years in prison. Started with the news case In 2019, news Brennpunkt uncovered an extensive organized export of environmentally hazardous waste to Africa. Much of the waste contains valuable metals. The documentary showed both children and adults dismantling EE waste in search of values. It took place under miserable conditions with a great risk of damage to both people and the environment. The documentary led to the Norwegian authorities tightening the rules for securing return points for waste and the rules for export. In addition, the customs and environmental authorities collaborated on several checks to uncover thefts and illegal exports of electrical waste. This will be the first time that someone has been investigated and punished for such illegal activity. Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) is very satisfied with the effort. – We know that this is a big problem. This is serious environmental crime, a form of organized crime in the environmental field, which violates both Norwegian law and the Basel Convention on how to export waste to other countries, says Barth Eide. Six supervisory authorities will work together to expose waste smugglers Thefts continue In June, the Norwegian return companies presented a report showing that thefts from return stations for e-waste are still a major problem. The news Dagsrevyen showed how thieves made off with white goods and TV screens from a reception at an electronics store in Tønsberg. According to the report, many return receptions are far too poorly secured against thieves being able to supply themselves. – Is it appropriate to take more measures to overcome the export of hazardous waste of this type? – Now we have recently clarified the regulations so that it is clear what is legal and what is not, and what kind of export can be accepted. It is very clear that this case is completely outside of this. Then there will be talk of cooperation with the electronics industry and the return industry to find out how this should be done in a proper way and ensure that there is no leakage to the illegal market, so that people and the environment in poorer countries are exposed to serious damage, says the climate and environment minister. – Some of those fined say that the items are useful elsewhere. What do you think about it? – I am a big supporter of reuse, but reuse must also be done in an environmentally responsible way and therefore there are rules for that in Norway and we have international rules for how this should happen. When it happens properly, it’s perfectly fine. But when it happens like this, illegally and uncontrolled, it’s not good, says Espen Barth Eide.
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