Dive Brief:

• Five Baltimore city public works employees have been charged with crimes related to landfill operations around the city. A 2-year FBI probe of operations at those landfills uncovered routinely committed crimes including employees stealing and selling thousands of dollars in scrap metal, and talking bribes from haulers in exchange for waiving tipping fees.
• The employees recently were arrested and charged in US District Court. 
• Baltimore’s waste management system is a revenue generator for the city. It collects and sells recyclable metal, even old appliances and water heaters. The Baltimore DPW employees were charged with conspiracy to steal from a program receiving federal funds, and also with theft. Three were accused of stealing salvageable items while at work, then selling the materials later.

Dive Insight:

A Maryland state law passed in 2009 mandates that all second-hand metals dealers record every transaction. The FBI was able to determine from such records that one employee sold scrap metal worth around $400,000 allegedly stolen from landfills.