Unwanted and illegal Cold War junk dumping in Africa and the Middle East

Tanks left over from World War 2 in Libya
The discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959 and the subsequent income from petroleum sales enabled one of the world's poorest nations to establish an extremely wealthy state. Although oil drastically improved the Libyan government's finances, resentment among some factions began to build over the increased concentration of the nation's wealth in the hands of King Idris.

Prior to the oil industry, Libya had exported a few minor agricultural products, some fish, a special papyrus paper for then Arab banknotes and scrapped tank wrecks from WW2. A handfull of the tanks were rebuilt and entred Libyan army service in the early 1950s.

Late 1960s and 1970s
.

The 1980s 'African dumping crisis'
..

1990s to 2000s
.

2010 and onwards
It is now processed willingly or not, in places like Agbogbloshie, Ghana.

Also see

 * 1) Pollution in Africa