Italy is to blame for Naples rubbish crisis, EU court rules

Mar 4, 2010, 9:14 GMT

Luxembourg - The Italian government is to blame for the 2007 crisis which saw thousands of tonnes of domestic rubbish piling up on the streets of Naples and in the Campania region, because it did not set up adequate systems to deal with it, the European Union court ruled Thursday.

The crisis saw rotting mounds of refuse heaped in the streets and led locals to light impromptu pyres in a major embarrassment to the Italian authorities. The EU took Italy to court over the issue, saying that the government had failed to set up a proper waste disposal system.

Italy argued that the crisis was caused by forces beyond its control, especially organized-crime networks.

But on Thursday the EU's court in Luxembourg ruled that the crisis revealed 'a structural deficit in terms of installations, which it has not been possible to remedy' - rather than criminal action.

Therefore, 'by failing to establish an adequate and integrated network of installations for the recovery and disposal of waste as close as possible to the place where that waste is produced ... Italy has failed to fulfil its obligations under the (EU's) Waste Directive,' a statement from the court said.