Yeah I’ve heard of waste management as a common industry for mafias to control. I think it’s because it’s so territorial and there’s really only room for one vendor in a given area (who goes shopping for their trash guy?), so being able to use force to crowd out competition determines whether you’ll capture market share.

I’ve also seen firsthand some of these dynamics in informal settlements in Kenya where the government can’t provide waste management due to lack of infrastructure. Though in that case it’s usually more “youth groups/gangs” fighting over garbage collection turf than organized criminal enterprises.