Italy authorities investigate illegal hazardous waste disposal

Italian authorities have launched investigations into illegal waste disposal involving mechanical workshops in the regions of Crotone and Cosenza.

In Cotronei, Carabinieri investigators discovered that a 54-year-old workshop owner allegedly discharged hazardous liquids and used oils directly into the soil. The investigation suggests that approximately twenty square meters of private land were contaminated because waste was not processed through official disposal channels. The area has been seized to prevent further environmental damage.

In Montegiordano, the Carabinieri Forestale identified unauthorized waste accumulation on municipal land. During an inspection, officials found special hazardous and non-hazardous waste, including scrap tires and ferrous materials, stored directly on the ground without waterproof paving or proper drainage. A partially open steel tank containing used oil was also found to have leaked into the surrounding soil. The workshop owner faces charges related to the uncontrolled deposit of waste on public property.