Weiden Court Expands Illegal Waste Export Trial to Include Air Pollution and Fraud

The Landgericht Weiden indicated new possible charges in the ongoing trial over illegal export of waste from Germany to the Czech Republic, adding air‑pollution violations and fraud to the original accusations.

Judge Markus Fillinger said testimony suggested the suction system used to shred waste was overloaded and hall doors were opened, allowing harmful particles to escape, prompting the court to assess whether the pollution constitutes a criminal offence. Prosecutor Andreas Falk introduced a fraud allegation, noting that German clients were billed about €500 per tonne for proper disposal while only €80 per tonne was paid in the Czech Republic, implying the waste was illegally crossed the border and stored without permits.

Defence lawyer Stefanie Amann discussed the upcoming hearing with her client, while experts outlined the complexity of EU waste‑law regulations that govern trans‑border shipments. The trial began with a short delay and could lead to a broader indictment of the waste‑disposal entrepreneur.