Italy is facing fines from the EU for failing to take out the trash. No, we’re not talking about Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. We’re talking about the tons of garbage that have choked the streets of Naples for years. –JCL

The Guardian:

Italy has failed to comply with a European court ruling on the chronic Naples waste crisis and could face fines if it does not solve the problem, a top EU official said today.

Thousands of tonnes of rubbish still lie uncollected in the streets of Italy’s third-largest city despite weeks of protests by local residents and repeated claims by prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to have fixed the problem.

The problem of poor waste management in Italy’s most densely populated region has persisted for years, compounded by disputes between competing local authorities and made worse by organised crime.

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