A European court found Italy violated the right to life of residents in a polluted region near Naples, citing decades of government inaction against mafia-controlled toxic waste dumping.
Nicole Winfield reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy failed to address severe pollution in the "Land of Fires," a region contaminated by illegal waste disposal linked to the Camorra mafia.
- The court ordered Italy to create a cleanup strategy and establish a platform to inform residents about pollution and health risks.
- Studies have linked the contamination to elevated cancer rates, including among infants, due to hazardous substances in soil and water.
Key quote:
“Overall, the Court found that the Italian authorities had not approached the Terra dei Fuochi problem with the diligence warranted by the seriousness of the situation. The Italian State had not done all that was required of it to protect the applicants’ lives.”
— European Court of Human Rights ruling
Why this matters:
For generations, industrial waste and chemical runoff have seeped into the soil and water that sustain communities, leaving behind a toxic legacy that continues to exact a heavy toll. Farmland once rich with nutrients now carries traces of heavy metals and hazardous chemicals, while drinking water supplies in many areas contain contaminants linked to cancer, neurological disorders and developmental issues in children. The effects are not abstract — they show up in clusters of rare diseases, in families grappling with chronic illness, in communities where the air, land and water seem to conspire against the very people who depend on them.
Related: EU avoids enforcing fines despite numerous environmental violations by member states
