Val Bormida waste incinerator project faces local opposition

Opposition is mounting against a proposed waste incineration plant in Val Bormida, located on the border between Liguria and Piedmont. Local coordination groups and the Europa Verde party have voiced strong criticism of the project, which would reportedly process 70% to 80% of the waste generated by the city of Genoa.

Opponents argue the facility would impose significant environmental and economic burdens on the Val Bormida region, which they claim has already suffered from industrial impacts. Concerns include increased heavy vehicle traffic for waste and ash transport, as well as rising management costs. Europa Verde highlighted that the project is “antistorico” (ahistorical) and noted that upcoming European Commission proposals to include incineration in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) by 2031 could add approximately 45 euros per ton to treatment costs.

Furthermore, environmentalists pointed to data from ISPRA indicating that Liguria ranks lowest among Northern Italian regions for waste recycling rates, with Genoa lagging behind provincial averages. Critics urge the administration in Genoa to focus on increasing recycling rates rather than outsourcing waste disposal to neighboring territories.