Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee

Formed in 1992, the Environmental Crime Committee assisted INTERPOL in identifying emerging patterns and trends in the field of environmental crime enforcement.

The Committee acted as a forum in which law enforcement officials could meet face to face in order to discuss new strategies and practices, share experience and expertise, and build the bridges of international cooperation that are vital in the fight against international environmental crime.

During the INTERPOL/UNEP International Chiefs of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Summit in March 2012, the decision was made to restructure the Environmental Crime Committee. This initiative, known as the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee (ECEC), brings together executive leaders and decision makers from all 190 INTERPOL member countries and from member countries of the UNEP governing council to provide strategic advice on relevant issues and to harness global support.

The  1st Meeting of the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee will be held from 6 to 8 November 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya, alongside meetings of the Wildlife, Pollution and Fisheries Crime Working Groups from 4 to 7 November 2013.

To support the Committee in its function, three working groups lead projects in specific areas:

Pollution Crime Working Group

The INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group initiates and leads a number of projects to combat the transport, trading and disposal of hazardous wastes or resources in contravention of national and international laws. Pollution crime has a clear and direct human impact due to the hazardous nature of the substances in question. 

Far-reaching damage 

As well as being harmful to health, the illegal disposal of waste into waterways, the air, and the ground can significantly damage a community’s livelihood, destroy jobs, and lower property values. The effect of pollution crime on the natural environment can be global, and contributes directly to the worldwide issue of climate change.

This type of crime is an international issue as hazardous waste – especially from more developed nations where it is strictly controlled – can be illegally disposed of in less developed countries, taking advantage of lax or non-existent environmental controls or effective enforcement.

Taking action 

Clearly, in today’s global economy there is a need for an international strategy to deal with pollution crime. The INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group brings together specialized criminal investigators from around the world to work on project-based activities on an international level.

We encourage participation from environmental experts across the world in order to maximize the global impact of current projects and to devise new initiatives.

 EPA Public Participation Toolkit: The United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed a toolkit to guide public involvement in the elaboration of laws and regulations, particularly those related to the environment. The toolkit identifies best practices in planning, skills and behaviours that government agencies can use to design and implement meaningful public participation programmes.

Current projects  

Clean Seas  

To conserve cleaner and safer marine environments. 

Having produced a manual on investigating vessel pollution in 2007, this project has recently developed and delivered a law enforcement training course using the manual as a guide. The pilot course in Canada (June 2010) was followed by four workshops in the South Pacific. The group is now working to develop tools to assist in the investigation of illegal discharge of waste from vessels.

The group is a global network of experts involved in investigations, prosecution and policy work relating to ship pollution violations.  Its activities complement those of the port state control regime, the International Maritime Organization and regional environmental programmes. 

Project Leader – Annaliese Caston
Principal Advisor, Marine Environment Division
 Australian Maritime Safety Authority

Climate Change Crime and Corruption

To explore legislative restraints and potential loopholes that may lead to the development of new crime areas connected to the issue of climate change.

Project leader – Julie Lastra
Assistant Director Investigations
 United States Environment Protection Agency

Environmental Forensics

To set up and maintain a network of environmental technical and forensic experts, promote best practices in environmental forensics learnt from the professional community, condense these into a manual and distribute it through our global channels and training sessions.

Project leader – Andrew Lauterback
Senior Criminal Enforcement Counsel
Assistant Director Investigations
 United States Environment Protection Agency

Exportation of Electronic Waste

To identify the illegal networks responsible for shipping thousands of tons of electronic waste, such as used computers, to the developing world.

Project leader - to be appointed

Executive Officers 

Chairperson – Frans Jozef Etienne Geysels
Chief Commissioner, Environmental Crime Service
 Belgium Federal Judicial Police

Vice Chairperson – Edward Owens
 Special Agent, International Program
  United States Environmental Protection Agency

Secretary – Mario Van Leeuwen
Special Expert
 The Netherlands National Police

Executive support officer – Oluronke Soyombo
Director Inspection and Enforcement
 Nigeria National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency

Pollution Crime Forensics

To set up and maintain a network of environmental technical and forensic experts, promote best practices in environmental forensics learnt from the professional community, condense these into a manual and distribute it through our global channels and training sessions.

For the production and publication of a global basic pollution crime forensics manual as sub-project has been initiated with the strong support of Environment Canada.

Project members can request from the sub-project leader to have access to a dedicated ftp-virtual office, made available by Environment Canada.

Project leader – Andrew Lauterback
Senior Criminal Enforcement Counsel
Assistant Director Investigations
 United States Environment Protection Agency

Manual Sub-project leader - Peter Krahn
Senior Engineer and National Operational Advisor
Environmental Enforcement Division
 Environment Canada

 INTERPOL Pollution Crime Forensics Contact List