The arduous setting up of separated refuse collection in Campania

Article 49 of the legislative decrete number 22/97 put a definite stop to the tax for the destruction of refuse (Tarsu) which dates back to 1931, replacing it with a new system of contribution based on a tariff. There will be a gradual – and hopefully, not drastic – introduction of the new tariff throughout the national territory. The regulation for the application of the tariff, approved by the Presidential Decree 27-4-99, number 158, establishes that from the first of January 2000 only local councils which have a financial coverage of the service above 90% can take on the new tariff. From the first of January 2003 onwards it will be the turn of those councils which today manage to cover up to 85% of the costs and so on.. The new tariff system imposes a radical transformation of the cycle of refuse management together with a series of innovations. Of the 437 councils on the starting line 98 are from the south but only 22 of these are from Campania.. The delays in the south of Italy to implement Ronchi’s decree are extremely worrying. Ronchi’s decree’s principal objective is – as is well-known – firstly, to cause less environmental damage by reducing the amount of refuse produced in the first place, secondly, by recycling exploitable and resellable material and thirdly, making use of a combined technology for refuse disposal. The lack of readiness on the part of those involved is evident in the slowness of the making and implementing of regional planning, in the lack of plans for refuse management within the most suitable territorial areas and in the arduous setting up of separated refuse collection.. With this in mind it would be interesting to take a look at the analysis of two small towns, both situated in the north-west of Naples.