Daniele Fortini
The waste crisis in Naples has gotten much attention – with critics blaming corruption, political foot-dragging and a mafia-run system of illegal industrial dumps for the ongoing trouble. What is the situation today?
The serious situation that now exists in the city and the metropolitan area of Naples, is a result of more than 15 years of errors and mismanagement. It is therefore not possible – nor are we able – to change the situation rapidly. We are learning how to solve the current situation in a sustainable and integrated approach from errors made in the past.
As one of the initial steps, we have sought to ensure that strategic planning is fully in place, realistic budgets are matched with realistic solutions, and that political responsibilities for waste management are clear. To this end, a legal framework has been established to define and support the implementation of the current approved Waste Management Plan. Efforts have been made to ensure that the regulations in place are suitable tools and correspond to our local situation. Each partner now also works in a secure situation, which has improved in relation to the criminal gangs operating in the area.
This situation shows to its extreme what a complex issue waste planning and siting of waste treatment plants has become, and the consequences of when the systems fails. Planning and inspection/enforcement authorities have been involved – what went wrong?
Looking back I think the principal error was the assumption and reliance on mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) as the final disposal method of municipal solid waste. We know that MBT has a role as an intermediary phase for preparation of the waste prior to further treatment and/or disposal. However, MBT typically needs to be complemented by a system for final disposal. This fundamental error produced the illusion that landfills and incinerators could be avoided. In addition, the lack of appropriate separate collection worsened the situation. Waste was not separated at source and a combined mixed waste ended up at the MBT plants.
With the local landfills closed, and incineration efforts slowed down, reliance on source-separation was abandoned. This is why the MBT plants could not function according to their design. It was not possible to produce the proper quality RDF (refuse derived fuel) fraction as the plants were working at too high a capacity. The resulting waste fraction/product was not suitable for incineration, even if those facilities had been available. As a result, the ‘ecobales’ were simply stockpiled. The operation of the MBT plants was directly dependent on the delivery of the ecobales to incinerators and the delivery of the stabilized organic fraction to landfills. This system broke down after a few months of inefficient operations.
In summary, we were left with some 6 million tonnes of baled waste, stockpiled and requiring proper management. This large volume reminds us that when there is a lack of waste management services, local problems arise quickly and can rapidly escalate. You have seen the photographs that confirm the extent of the problem.
Public opposition shows that communications and public involvement are crucial. You now have the very difficult task of changing public opinion and ensuring that there is trust and confidence from the public. What are you envisaging?
In times of great social restlessness, the media is quite able to manipulate fears regarding health issues and environmental concerns, particularly related to siting and establishment of waste management facilities. In the Naples situation, political and cultural groups diffused hostile public opinion against engineered landfills and waste-to-energy plants. They created an illusion that waste disposal could be done by other methods without problems. Public participation is important and an acquired right in most western countries. But this right of expression also goes hand-in-hand with duties, such as taking the responsibility for opinion-making and the messages that are communicated. We are today faced with a challenge to regain citizen’s trust in an integrated and environmentally sustainable waste management cycle.
Our communication with the public is based on the values of transparency, openness, and responsibility, especially with regard to the problems (waste management) and the solutions (waste management treatment). We endeavour to facilitate an open and objective debate so as to compare different solutions and find those that are well matched to the management of waste disposal in Naples. Our citizens have had to endure quite a frustrating experience during this time and we aim to turn this around using good practices, coupled with short and long-term solutions.
What can one learn from the Naples crisis?
The principal lesson gained is that waste management planning is key to avoiding serious problems. Such planning includes knowing how much waste will be generated, establishing responsibilities for its management, and making decisions based on sound science and using well-proven technologies. The goal of ‘zero waste’ is not a management option, in my opinion. Rather, it is a claim by some that solid waste can or will disappear somehow. This is not reality.
In all societies there will be residuals that cannot be recycled or re-circulated back into the system. The public understands this and can do its part to minimize waste generation, separate and recycle items where practical, and allow for disposal facilities for residuals. The use of integrated solid waste systems requires payments by the users. Such systems are very workable and in many cases, can be aligned for energy recovery purposes along with properly managing the anticipated waste quantities.
