Italian authorities seize illegal waste dump in Lucca, find 31 abandoned vehicles

Carabinieri and the regional ARPA Tuscany unit seized a large illegal waste site in the former paper‑mill area of Sant’Andrea, Gallicano, Lucca. The operation uncovered 31 abandoned vehicle bodies – cars, campers, vans and trucks – stored without any containment measures for fluids, lubricants or fuel. The site, located near a watercourse and within a protected environmental zone, was placed under judicial seizure after the owner was charged with unauthorized waste management and uncontrolled storage. Authorities referenced the need for environmental remediation and have notified local officials to initiate cleanup orders.

The seizure follows a coordinated inspection that involved the Carabinieri’s operational unit from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the local ARPA department, and a court decree signed by the Lucca tribunal’s GIP. The owner attempted to claim the vehicles were temporarily stored for future sale, a claim dismissed due to the vehicles’ deteriorated condition and the lack of proper storage facilities.