Adequate disposal of hazardous waste remains a major challenge for many industrialized nations. Faced with high costs and strict regulations, some countries opt to export this waste to developing nations. While global agreements aim to prevent this practice, illegal dumping continues in places lacking the infrastructure to manage toxic materials safely.
Communities in such regions bear the health and environmental costs of waste they didn’t generate. In this gallery, we explore countries that have become dumping grounds for the world’s waste. Curious to see which countries carry the burden of global pollution? Click through to find out.