Illegal waste shipments from Italy are still rotting in Tunisia

In Tunisia, containers full of Italian household waste have been languishing for months and local NGOs are urging authorities to return the waste to Italy.

In May and June 2020, an Italian company brought the waste from southern Italy to Tunisia.

It was declared to customs as plastic waste to be recycled by a Tunisian company before being re-exported.

But in reality, the waste was mostly household waste, making the transaction a blatant violation of several international treaties.

Since December, 26 people, including the former Environment Minister, have been arrested in connection with the scandal. Our correspondents report.