Illegal waste exports to Czech Republic: Trial begins in Germany

A trial is commencing at the Regional Court of Weiden in the Upper Palatinate, Germany, focusing on numerous illegal waste exports. The proceedings, which will span several months, will see the head of a waste disposal firm and a Czech employee face charges. Prosecutors allege that since 2024, the company, based in Weiden with an additional site in the Schwandorf district, repeatedly transported waste across German borders into the Czech Republic and Poland. Some of this waste was classified as hazardous.

The 43-year-old German defendant, the company's managing director, and the 57-year-old Czech employee, who allegedly organized the transports for a Czech branch, are accused of acting persistently and for profit. Investigators have brought 41 charges of jointly exporting waste to the Czech Republic against the men, with two of these cases involving hazardous materials.

Further accusations against the 43-year-old include document forgery and dangerous bodily harm. These are reportedly linked to a battery recycling plant that, according to the indictment, was leaking. The prosecution claims the manager failed to shut down the plant, knowingly exposing his employees to hazardous substances.

In response to protests from the Czech Republic, Bavarian authorities have already arranged for the return of approximately 300 tons of waste. This repatriated material includes glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GfK), carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CfK), and components from lithium-ion batteries.