The Italian government has held emergency crisis talks after riots broke out in Boscoreale (NA) over plans to build a rubbish dump inside the Vesuvius National Park, an area protected by UNESCO. The people who live along its perimeter are paying the ultimate price. Rising rates of leukemia, throat cancer, and respiratory illnesses are a testament to the severe pollution of the air and water. They can’t open their windows, and the children can’t play outside because of the intensely sickening smell. The proposed Cava Vitiello tip will be the biggest waste dump in Europe, with a three-million-tonne capacity.
Angry residents rioted at the news, torching garbage trucks and attacking police lines, injuring several officers. The riots temporarily halted the collection of garbage in Naples, which quickly led to overflowing bins and renewed international attention.
Naples has been plagued with controversy surrounding its waste management policies for years, said to be affected by corruption, poor management and infiltration by the local mafia.