"Toxic Europe" is the winner of the Best International Organised Crime Report 2011.

Urban, nuclear and electronic. The trafficking of waste has long become a new very profitable business for organised crime syndicates. “Toxic Europe” analyses the phenomenon from a transnational point of view. Italy, Belgium and Romania: three examples to show the European-scope of the problem and to describe the process of waste production, waste managing and how it can turn into waste trafficking and illegal disposal. Contrarily to waste production, which is a simple process, waste treatment is expensive and complex, hence a new type of crime-people who make waste "disappear" for a low cost stepped in.

According to Europol, they can be mainly identified with the Italian-based Camorra, Ndrangheta and Cosa Nostra. But in order to function the trafficking needs facilitators: people who know how to operate in a grey area linking organised crime with the legal market. These people are the brokers and fixers for those regularly registered companies which are keen to open their doors to the illegal waste business. It is thanks to the cover provided by brokers and corrupted officials that the waste entrepreneurs cannot be directly accused of being mafiosi.

“Toxic Europe” reconstructs the structure of the network, the connections between companies, naming those Italian-controlled ones that are today managing Romania’s waste. The documentary takes you from Camorra to Cosa Nostra, showing how Italian businessmen have until now managed to keep their hands clean.

"Toxic Europe" can be made available upon request for broadcasting at contact[at]brightmag.org.