Taranto and Apulia waste firms Kyma Ambiente, Terra d’Otranto in crisis

Kyma Ambiente, the municipal waste and street‑cleaning company of Taranto, is said to be burdened with more than €40 million in debt and about 400 workers. Its recycling rate sits around 25 % and the future of its €200 million incinerator, idle for 13 years, hinges on the renewal of an integrated environmental authorization. Members of the Fratelli d’Italia party have urged mayor Piero Bitetti to decide whether to rescue the firm or let it fail, criticising the exclusion of union representatives from decision‑making meetings.

In the ARO LE7 area of Apulia, the in‑house waste firm Terra d’Otranto Spa has been condemned by opposition councillors after the Court of Auditors called it a “empty box” with losses despite no operational activity. Critics allege opaque management, unjustified costs and a lack of a detailed rollout plan, and are demanding a board‑president hearing to clarify the company’s finances and prevent further fiscal strain on the region.