Italy probes illegal waste dumps after Rome fire and Bologna asbestos discovery

In Rome, a blaze that erupted near Via Laurentina and the Grande ring road prompted prosecutors to suspect a large illegal waste dump on private land. Air‑quality monitoring by ARPA Lazio recorded dioxin concentrations up to three times the World Health Organization’s urban average, leading the IX Municipio and Mayor Roberto Gualtieri to request swift safety measures and a parliamentary inquiry.

In Bologna, authorities halted work in community gardens on Via Salgari after asbestos‑containing demolition debris was found in waste bins. The mayor issued an ordinance prohibiting soil disturbance, while ARPA and AUSL began sampling the site. The area has been cordoned off and the contaminated material removed by a specialist firm pending further analysis.