14 DAY TRIAL // The news just broke that, after failing to properly manage its waste landfills and deal with its hazardous waste, Italy might have to pay a fine of €56 million ($73 million).
Besides this lump-sum fine, the country is expected to also pay an additional €25,6819,20 ($33,435,80) for each day that goes by without its tackling this pressing issue.
Apparently, the terms for said penalties were brought forth after the European Commission took it to itself to demand that courts in the European Union take immediate measures against Italy's setting out to clean only 132 of the landfills across its territory.
The official press release states that, according to a court ruling dating from 2007, Italy was supposed to clean up a total of 255 landfill sites, of which 16 contained hazardous waste.
“In the wake of the previous Court ruling, the Commission sent Italy a letter of formal notice in February 2008 and a reasoned opinion in June 2009, indicating that the systemic and general breach declared by the Court was still on-going. In June 2011 the Commission asked Italy to submit a credible calendar for the regularization of all the sites in question within a reasonable timeframe,” the European Commission explains.
Furthermore, “While some significant progress has been made, it is clear that problems persist in almost all Italian Regions. The Court ruling of 2007 has not been complied with, and the Commission has therefore decided to take Italy back to the Court and ask for fines.”
The European Commission's interest in Italian garbage policies has to do with the fact that, whenever managed properly, waste can constitute a noteworthy resource that can help up economic stability.
For example, Sweden is presently considering the possibility of importing trash from other countries, simply because it has managed to find several uses for it and its citizens are too green to produce enough of it.
Presently, the European Commission is waiting to see whether or not Italy will be made to pay the fines proposed by it.