Monday, May 19, 2008

Garbage Garbage Everywhere...


I just got back from my morning coffee and quick glance at the newspapers. For months I have been trying to follow the garbage mess in Naples, but whether I read the international or the Italian press, I am still confused about why the streets of Napoli are full of rotting bags of waste. But then again this is Italy and there is never a simple explanation for anything. Not even garbage piling up in the streets.  You would think that someone has to be responsible for picking it up, no?

This complicated mess of what to do with the garbage and where to put it, from what I have been able to piece together has something to do with closed landfills and the control of the garbage business by the local Mafia/Camorra. Ah....this story brings back the memories of Old New York. Can anyone remember those days? Where is Rudy G. when you need him?

The Italian military has been brought in a few times to clean up the garbage and newly elected Berlusconi has promised to fix the mess but the residents are just fed up and are burning the waste in the streets trying to get on with it. The Vigili del Fuoco, or firefighters, who tried to put out the burning piles of rubbish over the weekend were set upon by the residents protesting and raging in the streets to prevent them. War of the Garbage!

 Click over here and take a look at the photos.  Can you just imagine the smell- the rats - cockroaches - the stray dogs feasting?  Who would what to live with that on their doorstep? Riot I might. 

Ok, rotting trash left on the streets and burning, - cue in the global warming alarmists? - has caught the attention of the US Military who are now worried about the water and air quality because of this stinking mess. After all, they have to post staff in Naples which has now become environmentally toxic. Lawsuit American Style anyone?


Catch up on the whole stinking  story of Italy's mess with Reuters....

Pee ewe!

Krista





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