Italy faces rising illegal waste dumping as courts reopen landfill and politicians demand action

The regional administrative court (TAR) in L'Aquila has reopened the terms for the Irgine landfill in Notaresco, Teramo province, allowing the project – a 100,000‑cubic‑metre site originally proposed in 2015 – to be reconsidered. Environmental groups warned that “our territory risks being literally tormented,” fearing the province could become “the dumping ground of half Italy.”

At the same time, regional councillor Antonio Tutolo urged the Puglian assembly to file a motion with the national government to tighten controls and increase penalties for illegal waste trafficking. He highlighted a recent bust of a waste‑smuggling network in Foggia, noting that the phenomenon has shifted from Campania to Puglia and warned that without intervention “we will end up with a new Terra dei Fuochi.”

Both events underscore growing concerns over the illegal movement of hazardous waste across Italy’s southern regions and the need for stronger regulatory and judicial responses.