Reggio Calabria mayor launches 'Piazza Pulita' operation to clear illegal waste dumps

Mayor Francesco Cannizzaro of Reggio Calabria inaugurated the "Operazione Piazza Pulita" at dawn, mobilising a task‑force to address the city’s illegal waste dumping crisis. The effort involves Ecologia Oggi, the contracted waste‑collection firm, and the local police, deploying over 30 vehicles and dozens of operators across the city centre, north and south districts.

The municipal administration secured a doubling of landfill intake capacity, raising daily acceptance from about 750 tonnes to 1 500 tonnes. A special Ecological Unit of 25 plain‑clothes officers, supported by 40 additional environmental guards, will patrol 24 hours a day to sanction violators, with fines for illegal dumping increased from €50 to €150. Further measures include itinerant ecological islands, disinfestation actions and a weed‑control programme to improve urban decor. The mayor stressed a “zero‑tolerance” stance and called on residents to cooperate.