Why has it been so difficult for authorities to combat the illegal business of trafficking in toxic waste in Italy?
There are three reasons. First, there is a very low level of public consciousness about how bad these eco-crimes are. Italy, like most Mediterranean countries, has only begun recently to develop an awareness of the environment. Waste traditionally has been dumped anywhere — it was not considered particularly dangerous. Proper waste-management policy was introduced in Italy through the European Union. Some 80% of Italy’s environmental law stems from its obligation as an EU member. Add to that a very low level of sanctions and the tight control of public authorities in Southern Italy by criminal networks, and you get the picture of why waste trafficking is hard to fight. Q: How does Italy compare to other member countries in implementing EU environmental law? A: Italy is lagging. Dumping toxic waste is not a felony in Italy. In March, 2001, under the previous center-left government, a new law against trafficking was passed. But in the meantime, the current [center-right] government has
